West Orange Man Found Guilty Of Bias Crime; Mocked Teen’s Sexual Orientation

WEST ORANGE, NJ — An Essex County jury found a West Orange man guilty of bias intimidation on Friday after he repeatedly hurled racial epithets at his teenage neighbor while mocking his sexual orientation, authorities say.

On Friday, an Essex County jury found Exampliar Exantus, 47, of West Orange, guilty of four counts of fourth-degree bias intimidation against his neighbor, a 17-year-old male.

According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the bias incidents began in August of 2013 and continued to May of 2015.

On numerous occasions, Exantus made repeated racial epithets and denigrating comments about the ethnicity and sexual orientation of his neighbor, according to Assistant Prosecutor Tony Gutierrez.

Three of the events were captured on video and one was witnessed by local police, Gutierrez said.

The victim and the defendant lived on the same block in West Orange, prosecutors said.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 20.

Photo of Exampliar Exantus: Essex County Prosecutor’s Office