Ohio man pleads guilty of littering for distributing antisemitic flyers
Brokaw was previously found guilty in Pittsburgh of same charges
Jeremy Brokaw accepted a plea deal related to throwing antisemitic and racist literature from his vehicle on May 18 in Peters Township. He pled guilty to three out of 16 violations and received a reduced fine.
Brokaw, of Zanesville, Ohio, appeared before a magistrate in Peters Township on Sept. 2 to accept the deal. He was charged under two statutes: one prohibiting the authorization of littering from a vehicle, and one prohibiting littering on “any highway, or upon any other public or private property without the consent of the owner thereof.”
On Aug. 28, Brokaw was found guilty in Pittsburgh under the same statutes of more than 160 charges. Fines related to the charges totaled more than $50,000. His lawyer, Joshua Smith, indicated he will appeal that verdict.
Smith has a history of representing white supremacist individuals and groups. He previously represented Matthew Heimbach, Matthew Parrott and the Traditionalist Worker Party, a neo-Nazi group that helped put on the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. The attorney grew up in Pittsburgh in a Jewish family before changing his name.
The flyers thrown from Brokaw’s vehicle contained classic antisemitic conspiracy theories including, “Every single word of the Jewish Talmud is satanic” and “The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion: The Jew’s Plan for World Domination.”
One potential witness, who spoke to the Chronicle on the condition of anonymity, was subpoenaed to appear in the Peters Township case. Because of the plea deal, they were not called to testify but said the agreement might be the best outcome.
“Now we have three charges that will 100% stick and never go away. He has a criminal record,” they said. “If they were found guilty it would have been appealed and if it was overturned, we would have nothing.”
Shawn Brokos, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh community security director, said she was surprised by the plea deal.
Brokaw, she said, made an intentional effort to harass members of the Jewish community.
“To dismiss charges when citizens take the time to report them and come to court is disheartening, but there might be a reason for that I’m not privy to,” she said.
Brokos said she wanted to thank everyone who reported the incidents.
“We are grateful that the charges in Pittsburgh have not been downgraded or dismissed and that the case is ongoing,” she said.
Brokos urges anyone who witnesses anything suspicious to report it to law enforcement and the Federation. PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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