South Jersey Man Charged With Painting Racial Slurs and Swastikas on Playground Equipment
By Kim Glovas
EDGEWATER PARK, N.J. (CBS) -- A Burlington County, NJ man was indicted today on charges of racial bias intimidation and related crimes in connection with spray-painted graffiti discovered last summer.
Samuel Procopio, 54, of Edgewater Park was arrested two days after the incident last June, when police discovered spray-painted racial slurs on a basketball court and bleachers.
Now, the Burlington County prosecutor's office has announced that Procopio has been indicted by a county grand jury on one count of criminal mischief and one count of bias intimidation.
Edgewater police say their investigation revealed that Procopio painted three swastikas and along with racial slurs aimed at African-Americans on the court and the bleachers at Memorial Field, which is located in the 700 block of Cooper Street.
Procopio is free on $15,000 bail, awaiting arraignment.