The Baltimore man who vandalized a Jewish businessman’s building and Israeli and American flags in August has been sentenced to three years of probation.
Jonathon Wagner, 39, of North Baltimore, pled guilty to one misdemeanor count of malicious destruction of property, and was ordered by Baltimore County Circuit Judge Andrew Battista to pay $250 to Idan Tzameret, who owns Kitchen Design by Idan.
Battista suspended the entirety of the 60-day jail sentence he originally levied against Wagner.
Wagner was caught on camera on Aug. 6 covering the business and its flags in a red liquid that police said was similar to “costume blood.” He was originally charged with multiple counts of malicious destruction of property, including one based on race and/or religion.
Wagner previously worked as a sonographer at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, although the Baltimore Sun reported that he is no longer employed there.
Tzameret said that his business has been targeted by vandals on several occasions. In one instance, a swastika was spray-painted on one of the Israeli flags that hangs outside his building.
“I have really thick skin. I expected that eventually [vandalism] would happen and I won’t say it doesn’t bother [me] but it actually makes me stronger and makes me want to just continue doing it. I’m going to continue having the flag up no matter what,” Tzameret said in an interview with Baltimore Jewish Times.
Tzameret said in that August interview that he has heard from other area Jews who are afraid to show their support for the world’s only Jewish state.
“I got a call today from a Jewish lady that lives in Towson and she says ‘Listen, we support Israel and have young kids living in the house and I really want to put a flag up but I’m afraid’ and this is the world that we live in. People are afraid to display support [for] anything because, God forbid, you do not have the same mindset of other people,” he said.
“I’m happy to be a voice, I’m happy to be strong for people but at the same time it shouldn’t be an issue.”
