A South Loop man has been sentenced to four years in prison for defacing an “equality” sign outside a Boystown elementary school with swastikas and slurs. Jarrod Barnes, 43, pleaded guilty to hate crime and institutional vandalism charges after admitting to scrawling Nazi symbols on signage at Nettlehorst Elementary School in April 2024. Police reported that Barnes was heard making derogatory remarks as he drew the graffiti.
Barnes was arrested shortly after the incident when officers spotted him across the street, and a witness pointed him out to the police. He was found in possession of four Sharpie markers. Judge Anjana Hansen handed down the four-year sentence on Monday, with the possibility of it being reduced to two years with good behavior. Barnes will also receive credit for the 623 days he spent on electronic monitoring, meaning he could be released in just over 100 days if he remains on the right path.
The hate-motivated vandalism prompted condemnation from Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th), who expressed horror at the graffiti. He emphasized that there is no tolerance for anti-Semitic, homophobic, or hateful incidents of any kind in the neighborhood. The alderman reassured the Jewish community in the 44th Ward and across the city that he stands with them in their right to live without fear.
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