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Anthony Lodespoto of Howell pleaded guilty on Friday to bias intimidation before Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan, according to Ocean County First Assistant Prosecutor Michael T. Nolan, Jr.
Prosecutors recommend that Lodespoto remain incarcerated at Ocean County Jail pending his Sept. 25 sentencing when they said they will seek a jail sentence of 180 days.
The Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau was told on March 26 that Lodespoto had made threatening statements via the direct messaging feature of Facebook against the Jewish community of Lakewood, Nolan said.
The next day, detectives were told by New Jersey State Police that Lodespoto sent a similar message to the Facebook account of Gov. Murphy, according to the first assistant prosecutor.
In his social media messages, Lodespoto is accused of "threatening to travel to Lakewood with the purpose of assaulting members of the Jewish community with a baseball bat," Nolan said on Monday.
Nolan thanked Assistant Prosecutor Shanon Chant-Berry who handled the case, as well as the Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau and New Jersey State Police for their help.
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