An accused anti-Israel arsonist handed himself over to the authorities five weeks after allegedly setting fire to 10 New York City Police Department (NYPD) vehicles and a police trailer, as announced by officials on Monday. 

Jakhi Lodgson-McCray, 21, from New Jersey, was identified in mid-June through forensic evidence and video footage. The U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force was pursuing him closely when he surrendered without resistance, accompanied by his attorney and mother, at a food bazaar in Brooklyn to confront federal arson charges, as NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated on Monday.

The NYPD has estimated the total replacement cost of the burned vehicles is over $800,000.

While requesting a detention order ahead of his initial court appearance, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella from the Eastern District of New York remarked that McCray ignited the NYPD vehicles the Thursday before scheduled protests on the June 14-15 weekend, thus impairing NYPD’s ability to safeguard the public. 

“NYPD personnel discovered what appeared to be a cigar lighter torch and a pair of sunglasses in the portion of the lot where the defendant Jakhi McCray hopped the fence and made entry to the lot,” court documents say. “NYPD personnel also discovered that 22 retail fire starters consisting of 12 ‘jealous devil boom starters’ and 10 BBQ dragon egg fire starers were placed on 3 unburnt vehicles. These fire starters had not been left by NYPD personnel.” 

Court documents say McCray’s wallet and identification card can be seen on surveillance video when he paid for water about a 14-minute walk away from the NYPD lot around 1:51 a.m. He was wearing similar attire – a gray hooded sweatshirt and a blue surgical mask – seen in body-camera footage when he was arrested previously on May 19, investigators said. 

Federal prosecutors asked the judge to consider the strong weight of the evidence against McCray, as well as McCray’s criminal history, noting he was arrested for criminally reckless conduct in the recent past. 

Charging documents for Jakhi Lodgson-McCray include photographs of the lighter, left, and two fire starters on an unburnt NYPD vehicle, right.  (EDNY)

On May 28, McCray was arrested for obstructing government administration, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest in connection with a demonstration. In May 2024, McCray was similarly arrested for resisting arrest, obstructing government administration, attempted assault in the third degree and disorderly conduct in connection with another demonstration, federal prosecutors said. 

The NYPD issued a press release on June 18 with photos of McCray to alert the public that he was wanted for arson. Instead of turning himself in, prosecutors said, McCray allegedly destroyed his cell phone in an effort to avoid arrest. 

“Nearly five weeks after committing the offense, the defendant ultimately self-surrendered after his lawyer and law enforcement coordinated in arranging his self-surrender,” the detention request said. 

While he remained on the lam, McCray skipped out on a June 18 court conference related to a separate case being prosecuted in Queens Criminal Court.

“The defendant’s failure to adhere to court scheduled conferences and his delay in surrendering clearly indicate that he is a flight risk,” federal prosecutors wrote.