Waretown Suspect in New Year’s Eve Beating Charged with Hate Crime

A Waretown 31-year-old who FBI agents believe to be a member of a white supremacist group is charged with hate-crime assault for attacks on three Middle Eastern men in Sayreville on New Year's Eve 2011.

Christopher Ising was arrested by federal authorities today, along with Michal Gunar, 27, of East Windsor. They're charged with committing a hate crime and conspiracy, in violation of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Authorities believe that Ising is a member of the Atlantic City Skins white supremacist group, and that Gunar allegedly belongs to the New Jersey-based Aryan Terror Brigade.

Ising was given his first court appearance today In Newark, and Gunar's first appearance takes place tomorrow.

According to New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, Ising and Gunar drove to a Sayreville apartment complex as a New Year's Eve meet-and-greet white supremacist event he hosted at his former East Brunswick home wound down. Their purpose, say investigators, was to attack non-Caucasians. Authorities say Ising and Gunar cornered the three victims, shouting anti-Arab slurs, brandishing a knife and brass knuckles, and leaving two of them injured.

The hate-crime charge carries a possible sentence of up to 10 years on conviction, while the conspiracy count is punishable by up to five years. Both carry possible fines as high as $250,000.