Hate Crime Counts For Nassau Man Accused Of Terrorizing Neighbor

WANTAGH, NY — A Wantagh man accused of terrorizing his neighbors and threatening them with a shotgun is now facing hate crime charges.

An enraged Joseph Magistro threw barbells through the neighbors' windows around 3:30 p.m. Monday, police said. The 33-year-old Bayview Avenue man, who was carrying a shotgun, had become angry during an ongoing dispute.

A 62-year-old woman and a 17-year-old boy who were in the home at the time went outside to investigate, then ran back in the house and called police.

Magistro broke a window in the back of the house and screamed and threatened to shoot his neighbors with the shotgun, police said.

Police arrested Magistro without incident. He faces felony charges of menacing with a weapon as a hate crime and criminal mischief. He also faces a slew of misdemeanor charges including for aggravated harassment based on race or religion, criminal possession of a weapon with intent to use and criminal trespass, according to online court records.

Magistro is expected back in court Thursday.