Prosecutors identified the man seen on surveillance video allegedly vandalizing a church statue as Jamshaid Choudhry.
Choudhry was charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime and other related crimes for allegedly smashing a Holy Family statue outside of the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church in Fresh Meadows on June 30.
The attack caused the head of one of the statues, the depiction of a child Jesus, to break off.
"We will not tolerate unprovoked attacks, especially those driven by hate. Queens stands as a beacon of diversity and inclusivity, where freedom of religion and expression are celebrated as fundamental pillars of our democracy. Thanks to my Hate Crimes Bureau and the NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force, this individual has been apprehended," said District Attorney Katz.
Choudhry, 44, of 186th Street in Hollis, was arraigned on Friday in Queens Criminal Court and charged with criminal mischief in the second degree as a hate crime, criminal mischief in the third degree as a hate crime, criminal mischief in the fourth degree as a hate crime, criminal mischief in the second degree, criminal mischief in the third degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree and aggravated harassment in the first degree.
If convicted of the top count, Choudhry faces a potential maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison. Judge Srividya Pappachan ordered him to return to court on August 1.
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Follow us on YouTube
* More local news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts