An elderly man was lightly penalized after admitting to vandalizing properties in Montauk with Nazi and anti-Semitic graffiti, according to reports.
Michael Nicollias, age 75, created graffiti featuring swastikas and phrases like “Death Jews” and “Burn Jews” against local businesses and residents from October to December 2023, eventually leading to his arrest. He was sentenced to merely five days in Suffolk County Jail on November 14, the report indicated.
“I’m guilty of everything,” Nicollias reportedly told the prosecutors, as noted by local news sources.
Nicolías, who pleaded guilty to two counts of felony hate crimes as part of a plea agreement, received no actual jail time despite the sentence and was put on probation for “good behavior” after spending just one day in jail since his December arrest.
Authorities caught up with him by placing a GPS tracker on his 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser, as the report details.
On December 4, police found Nicollias spray-painting a swastika on a bench near a public restroom after noticing other vandalized signs nearby.
Additionally, Nicolías acknowledged in court that he specifically targeted Jewish-owned properties.
Following his sentencing, he was processed but, due to prior “good behavior,” was set to be released shortly—leading to a peculiar situation in the Suffolk prison system since his sentencing occurred on a Friday.
Ultimately, the five-day sentence became practically void due to a technicality, and he returned home with only a suspended sentence.
No comments were received from Nicolías’ legal aid attorney or the Suffolk County Prosecutor.
