Officials: 2 men charged in violent anti-gay hate crimes in Wesley Hills
Aaron Rosenkraz, of Flushing, Queens, and Jacob Sprei, of Monsey, were arrested by Ramapo police on Thursday.
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Two men are facing hate crime charges in Rockland County after police say they used a dating app to lure, beat and rob their victims - who they believed were gay.
Aaron Rosenkraz, of Flushing, Queens, and Jacob Sprei, of Monsey, were arrested by Ramapo police on Thursday and arraigned the next day in Wesley Hills Village Court.
Both men, who are 19, entered not guilty pleas, according to the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office.
They’re accused of luring two men on separate occasions into meeting at the Greg Sikorsky Children’s Park on Lime Kiln Road during overnight hours and committing the violent hate crimes against them at gunpoint.
Police say the unsuspecting victims were targeted because of their perceived sexual orientation and called anti-gay slurs while they were attacked.
The incidents occurred on May 7 and June 19, according to Ramapo police.
“I want to commend the outstanding police work and investigation by Town of Ramapo Police resulting in these arrests,” says Supervisor Michael Specht. “There can be no tolerance for hate crimes or any acts of violence in our town.”
FBI data shows a nationwide increase in hate crimes based on race/ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion in recent years, including a total of 11,862 reported incidents in 2023.
“These are real people experiencing fear, experiencing injustice, experiencing violence. It’s important for us to stick together and be supportive,” says Orange County Commissioner of Human Rights Inaudy Gill.
Advocates are disturbed by the allegations and rise in similar crimes.
“There’s an uptick by far and it’s reflecting from the executive orders and other things that are making it OK in these people’s minds,” says Dannie Sinisi, founder of OCNY Pride.
Rosenkranz and Sprei are facing multiple charges, including robbery as a hate crime, grand larceny, coercion, criminal use of a firearm and unlawful imprisonment.
Both are out on bail.
News 12 reached out to their attorney for comment but didn’t immediately receive a response.
Ramapo police believe there may be additional victims in this case and are asking anyone with additional information to contact them at 845-357-2400.
