Natalia Chi
CHICAGO — A Niles man was sentenced to three years in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to committing a series of anti-Semitic hate crimes in the Westridge neighborhood on January 29 and 30, 2022.
Shahid Hussain, 40, pleaded guilty before Judge Shelley Sutker-Dermer to five hate crimes and two vandalism charges involving synagogues. She sentenced him to her three-year sentence for each count, but court records show that the sentences are executed simultaneously. If he behaves well, his sentence will be reduced by 50%.
In one incident, Hussein stood outside Chicago’s Yesivas Meor Hatra at 3635 West Devon, shouting about Jews while breaking lights, gesturing with his hands to shoot a shotgun, and acting like a Nazi. salute, the prosecutor said. The video showed Hussein wearing a red cap and cloak that he allegedly wore in another incident.
Hussein acknowledged responsibility for the incident on Facebook and posted a photo of himself sporting a mustache similar to Adolf Hitler’s and doing a Nazi salute, prosecutors say.
In another case, prosecutors said they saw a witness yelling about when the Sabbath would begin while walking outside the Congregation KINS in West Rogers Park at 2800 West North Shore. She videotaped a man in a cloak and red hat walking into the front yard, where another camera captured him breaking glass.
Later, a driver who allegedly saw Hussein called 911. draw a swastika In a trailer outside a Jewish facility on Block 2900 in West Devon. These incidents were also recorded on video.
Police arrested Hussein near Block 6300 in North Albany, according to CPD records. A 911 caller reported that a man had blown up the synagogue and was yelling that he was setting fire to it.
Hussein was paroled for forgery and was under supervision for stalking and violating a no-contact order at the time of the hate crime. Authorities revoked his parole after new allegations surfaced and returned him to Pinkneyville Correctional Center last February.
The Illinois Department of Corrections has not released an expected parole date for Hussein.
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