Manchester Man Sentenced To Federal Prison In Attacks On Orthodox Jews

TRENTON, NJ — A Manchester Township man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for a string of violent attacks on Orthodox Jews in 2022, the U.S. Attorney's Office has announced.

Dion Marsh, 29, of Manchester, also was sentenced Tuesday to five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, who heard Marsh's guilty plea to five counts of violating the federal Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and one count of carjacking on Feb. 1.

Marsh admitted to deliberately causing bodily injury to five victims, and attempting to kill and cause injuries by driving a car into four of them and stabbing one in the chest, all because they were Jewish.

"The threat from hate-fueled violence is a sad reality that impacts far too many people across our state and our nation," U.S. Attorney Phillip Sellinger said. "This defendant previously admitted to violently attacking five men, driving a car into four of them, stabbing one of them in the chest, and attempting to kill them simply because they were visibly identifiable as Orthodox Jews."

"The sentence imposed today holds Marsh accountable for his brutal and hate-filled rampage," Sellinger said.

"Enough is enough – hate-fueled attacks on the Orthodox Jewish community are abhorrent, unlawful and contrary to our values as Americans," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. "As we aggressively work to confront and eradicate antisemitic violence, we recognize the unique vulnerabilities faced by Orthodox Jews who are often targeted because of religious clothing and yarmulkes. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute senseless hate crimes and we will protect people exercising their constitutional right to practice their religion."

"These victims were targeted by Marsh because of the way they were dressed, which is in accordance with their religious beliefs," said James E. Dennehy, FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge. "They have that right in this country. Marsh, however, did not have the right and broke federal law, when he attacked, stabbed and carjacked innocent people. The rise of hate crimes in our communities has become a noxious disease."

"FBI Newark and our law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue anyone who violates someone’s constitutionally protected civil rights to simply be who they are," Dennehy said.

The attacks happened on April 8, 2022:

At 1:18 p.m. Marsh forced a visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man out of his car in Lakewood, assaulting and injuring him in the process. Marsh took control of the man’s car and drove away. A surveillance video in the area captured Marsh arriving in the area prior to the carjacking and assault.

At 5:20 p.m., Marsh was in Lakewood driving a different car when he deliberately struck another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man with the vehicle, attempting to kill the victim.
At 6:06 p.m., Marsh then used that second vehicle to deliberately strike another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man, attempting to kill the victim and causing him to suffer several broken bones.

At 6:55 p.m., Marsh, driving the vehicle that he had stolen from the first victim, attempted to kill another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man. Marsh used the stolen vehicle to deliberately strike the man, who was walking in Lakewood. Marsh got out of the vehicle and stabbed the man in the chest with a knife, causing the victim to suffer a stab wound and other injuries.

At 8:23 p.m., Marsh, still driving the vehicle that he had stolen from the first victim, used it to deliberately strike another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man who was walking in nearby Jackson Township, New Jersey, attempting to kill the man and causing him to suffer several broken bones and internal injuries.

Previous coverage:

• Ocean County Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Hate Crimes In Attacks On Jewish Men
• Manchester Man Pleads Guilty To Terrorism In Spree Of Attacks On Jews
• Federal Hate Crimes Charged In Attack Spree On Ocean Co. Orthodox Jews
• Terrorism Charges Added In Lakewood Attacks: Ocean Prosecutor
• Suspect In Assaults Made Antisemitic Comments To Police, Records Show
• Ocean County Jewish Community Shaken After 3 Men Attacked
• Man Faces Bias Charges In Stabbing, Hit-And-Runs In Lakewood, Jackson