Fairfax County Police arrested an Annandale man Wednesday night in connection with three hate-motivated crimes in the Northern Virginia area, police said.
Dylan M. Mahone, 20, was taken to the Adult Detention Center in Fairfax and charged with two counts each of felony destruction of property, placing a swastika on religious property with the intent to intimidate and wearing a mask in public to conceal one’s identity.
Mahone has also been charged by Northern Virginia Community College Police with one count of felony destruction of property and one count of wearing a mask in public to conceal one’s identity.
The arrest comes after staff at the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia reported anti-Semitic symbols and words had been spray-painted on the building’s exterior in the early morning hours of April 11. That same morning, staff from the Little River United Church of Christ reported similar anti-religious symbols and words were spray-painted on the exterior of their building and on the property.
The Northern Virginia Community College Police had also initiated an investigation on March 20 for anti-Semitic flyers that were posted on campus.
The Fairfax County Police asks anyone to call the non-emergency number at 703-691-2131 to report suspected bias/hate incidents.
