Man Sentenced In Antisemitic Arson, Vandalism Spree In Manchester

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Manchester Township man who vandalized 14 homes and set fire to one because he believed "the Jews are ruining everything" has been sentenced to 7 years in prison in the crime spree in Pine Lake Park, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

Ron Carr, 35, was sentenced Friday to 7 years in state prison for his guilty plea to arson in the spree of incidents that happened in Manchester on June 6 and 7, 2023, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

In addition, Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan sentenced Carr to five years in prison on the charge of bias intimidation, and 18 months in prison on two counts of criminal mischief in the incidents, Billhimer said. The sentences will run concurrently, he said.

Carr pled guilty to the charges before Ryan on June 20.

According to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by Patch, Carr was initially arrested as he was found walking near Commonwealth Boulevard less than an hour after the fire was reported, dressed in clothing matching that of a suspect seen on Ring camera at one of the vandalized homes.

Carr had "multiple encounters with the Manchester Police Department," Detective Patrick Cervenak wrote in the affidavit, and at headquarters, police could smell the odor of gasoline on his clothing.

Police had received numerous calls about houses being vandalized, with 14 homes spray-painted with graffiti including hearts, swastikas, names and "other miscellaneous words," in red and silver on "front doors, garage doors, vinyl siding of homes, and on driveways," the affidavit said.
A fire was reported at a First Avenue house at 3:11 a.m., according to the affidavit, and about half an hour later received a call about a suspicious person walking near Commonwealth Boulevard.

When police found the suspicious person — identified as Carr — he was wearing the clothing seen on the person in the Ring video at one of the vandalized homes, the affidavit said. Carr was carrying a backpack and initially took out a baseball bat that he used to menace police before he was forcefully arrested, the affidavit said.

Under questioning, Carr told police he spray-painted the homes to "keep sneaky penguins out," and when Cervenak asked for clarification "as to who the 'sneaky penguins,' were, he laughed and stated, 'Jews,' " Cervenak wrote.

Carr said he sprayed red hearts on homes because he "felt bad for the people who were not part of the Jewish community," along with the names of his daughters, and swastikas.

Carr "made multiple anti-Semitic statements, stating that the 'Jews are ruining the world,' that 'they are bad for the environment,' and that 'they should be a dying breed,' " Cervenak wrote.

Carr — whose statement was video and audiotaped — confessed to starting the fire at the First Avenue home, saying he poured gasoline on wood inside the home and lit it with a cigarette lighter, then threw the gasoline can in the basement, the affidavit said. That description matched what arson investigators found, Cervenak said.

Carr told Cervenak and Officer Jordan Weed "he started this fire because he was 'saving the neighborhood' " and said the house would become a school or "prayerland" and "destroy everything," the affidavit said.

The house, which was under construction at the time, was destroyed in the fire and three additional homes suffered heat damage and flames spread to a wooded area behind the house. No injuries were reported.