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Four students charged in connection with the distribution of “Wanted” posters targeting University of Rochester leadership, faculty, and employees in late 2024 pleaded guilty today to intentionally damaging university property.
The charges are criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor, announced in a Rochester City Court appearance.
The students—Jonathan Bermudez, Naomi Gutierrez, Samantha Escobar and Jefferson Turcios—who were arrested on campus, each faced a felony criminal mischief charge.
In New York, an individual found guilty of criminal mischief in the second degree intentionally damaged another’s property without the right to do so, resulting in damages that total more than $1,500. It carries the penalty of up to seven years in state prison, along with the collateral consequences—potentially impacting student loans, housing, employment and other areas—that come with a felony conviction.
At the time, some experts found the charges harsh but in line with decisions made by higher ed institutions in other states.
All four students agreed to a plea deal calling for $2,500 in restitution and 200 hours of mandated community service.
The case, for UR, represents a resolution to an incident that saw posters distributed across campus the night of Nov. 10, 2024, featuring photos of university community members along with text criticizing either their handling of the school’s response to the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks against Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza and Lebanon, or their alleged ties to the Israeli war effort and settlement movement.
The incident disrupted campus life. Soon after the arrests, there were protests against UR’s actions. At the same time, students witnessed a mobile billboard truck with tinted windows making rounds on campus. The captions “Antisemitism+Vandalism = Expulsion” and “Expel Them Now” were painted on the sides of the truck in the school’s colors. Targeted local ads on social media calling for expulsion also appeared.
All four students were expelled from UR a year ago, subject to the school’s Code of Conduct violation procedures, following investigations by UR’s Department of Public Safety.
Bermudez, Gutierrez, Escobar and Turcios will appear in court April 1 in compliance with the plea deal.
Narm Nathan is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer and a member of the Oasis Project’s inaugural cohort.
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It’s hard to fathom someone would equate a wanted poster to frat graffiti.
That speaks volumes.
As a Jewish staff member at UR, it still enrages me that people like Sarah Mangelsdorf were able to brush off the accusations of their own racism behind claims that the posters were antisemitic. Even for the people on the posters who are Jewish– no identity should be permitted as a justification for hate and discrimination! When the administration weaponizes fear of antisemitism to justify cracking down on students, it makes Jewish community members less safe by putting them on a pedestal.
I also would like to note that damage to any walls– which is far surpassed by the average frat party– happened due to janitors being instructed to hastily remove the posters, and not because of any action ever determined to be taken by the charged students.
Hey kids welcome to the real world!!