Contact: Beth Stone 508-584-8120
BROCKTON – A man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he affixed Neo-Nazi propaganda stickers on property at Bridgewater State University (BSU), Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
Michael Beaudry, 32, of Bridgewater, pleaded not guilty today in Brockton District Court to one count each of Vandalizing Property and Tagging Property. The Commonwealth requested that Beaudry be held on $50,000, with the conditions that should he make bail, he wear a GPS monitoring bracelet, stay away and have no contact with BSU, and that he surrender all firearms. Judge Michael Vitali set bail at $2,500 and adopted the Commonwealth’s conditions.
The charges follow a joint investigation by BSU Police, Bridgewater Police, and the Massachusetts State Police Hate Crimes and Response Team (HART). On March 3, BSU Police began an investigation into vandalism that occurred on Railroad Drive. Several Neo-Nazi propaganda stickers had been placed in or around the bus stop, and on other locations in the area of Railroad Drive and the Spring Street parking lot. Both properties are owned and operated by BSU.
Members of the BSU Police Department performed a check of the camera system and observed a distinct white pickup truck on March 1, approximately 7:36 a.m. The truck operator, later identified as Beaudry, exits the motor vehicle and can be seen in the video placing the stickers on the plexiglass of the bus stop before he takes a picture of the sticker with his cell phone. Beaudry is captured in the video wearing a dark colored jacket with a patch on the left arm, dark colored pants, boots, and a red stocking cap. He is also captured on camera giving a Nazi salute after posting one sticker.
As a result of the ongoing investigation, on Friday, March 7, sought and obtained a search warrant authorizing a search of the white truck. Inside the motor vehicle, officers located various antisemitic and white nationalist stickers. Beaudry’s phone was seized as evidence. In addition, Beaudry was wearing the same red stocking cap, jacket, and boots with red laces. On Beaudry’s person, officers located more antisemitic Neo-Nazi and white nationalist stickers. They also found a Hitler Youth knife with a swastika on the handle.
Beaudry is next scheduled to appear in court on April 1.