The defendant allegedly urinated on a Somerton synagogue as surveillance cameras recorded the incident.
A Bell’s Corner man has surrendered to police to face allegations that he urinated on the walls and sidewalk of a Somerton synagogue on Aug. 13 while surveillance cameras recorded the incident.
Sheidali Dzhalilov, 23, of the 2100 block of Hoffnagle Street, is charged with ethnic intimidation, indecent exposure, institutional vandalism, desecration of venerated objects, open lewdness, harassment and disorderly conduct. He turned himself into Northeast Detectives on Tuesday at 7 p.m., police said.
On Aug. 13 at about 12:30 a.m., surveillance cameras recorded a then-unidentified man as he urinated on an exterior wall and sidewalk at the entrance of Congregation Beth Solomon, 198 Tomlinson Road. Police said that the man approached the front doors, gave an obscene hand gesture in the direction of a camera and urinated. The surveillance video shows a menorah adorning a nearby railing. Police said that the property was clearly marked as a synagogue. The man then entered a white sedan driven by someone else and left the area.
Police released surveillance images and video of the incident publicly, prompting numerous tips as to the suspect’s identity, according to Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum.
Dzhalilov was arraigned on Wednesday and freed after posting 10 percent of $50,000 bail. He is scheduled for a Municipal Court status hearing on Sept. 15. ••
