Suspect in possible hate crimes targeting Judeo-Christian religious expression may be local labor official

The preliminary hearing for the People’s case against alleged vandal Erdem Onder is set for April 24, S-Reporter learned in an interview with prosecuting attorney Mei Owen.

Onder, you may recall, was recently in the San Diego news when SDPD arrested him for allegedly vandalizing multiple places of worship, including a Jewish temple (Ohr Shalom Synagogue) and two churches (University Christian Church in Hillcrest and St. Paul’s Cathedral in Bankers Hill), as well as dousing a religious altar outside a person’s home with alcohol and attempting to set it ablaze. Noting that the latter was unsuccessful, Prosecutor Owen said the ever-persistent Onder came back to the same home a month later and vandalized several religious statues.

The Charges

S-Reporter reviewed the D.A.’s complaint against the 47-year-old Onder. The charges include arson, vandalism of religious property for intimidation, and interference with civil rights that involve force or threats. Translated: San Diegans should be able to practice their religion without fear or intimidation, and those who violate that right are breaking the law.

Hate Crime Penalty

The complaint indicates that in total there are ten charges. All except one are felonies, while two charges are accompanied by a hate crime “penalty enhancement.” If the suspect is convicted, that could add a total of four to six years to his sentence, potentially putting him away for up to 13 years in state prison.

The complaint also states that, in addition to the ten charges, “the People are seeking a revocation of the defendant’s probation,” suggesting Onder may have been on probation during his alleged arson and vandalism spree.

Free on bail

Onder has pleaded not guilty to the felony and misdemeanor charges he is facing and, according to Owen, is “currently out of custody.” There was initially disagreement about the amount of bail, but ultimately, according to Owen, “the court set bail at $200,000.”

What will happen at the April 24^th preliminary hearing?

The prosecutor will present evidence in an effort to persuade the judge that there’s probable cause that the defendant committed the crime; and then the defense will have its say. A successful preliminary hearing for the People paves the way for the case, possibly, to go to trial.

What do we know about the suspect?

What was his motive? What gave rise to the vandalism? The prosecutor hasn’t yet revealed the defendant’s motive but the fact they’re prosecuting it as a hate crime might give us some idea. It’s easy to speculate about Onder’s motive in the case of spray-painting “Gaza” on a synagogue, but why vandalize the two churches and a home’s religious ornaments?

S-Reporter has uncovered a 2023 article published by the AFL-CIO that highlights the role of Erdem Onder, a member of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and of CWA Local 9509. The article identifies Onder as a retail sales consultant for AT&T who “has been instrumental in the revitalization of the CWA Pride Caucus this past year, increasing membership and organizing and originating petitions to Congress on trans people’s rights and liberation.”

There’s a record of Onder receiving almost $9,000 in payment by CWA for services rendered in 2022, which identifies him as a member of CWA’s executive board.

CWA represents 700,000 workers in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. CWA Local 9509 represents workers in the telecommunications, healthcare, and retail sectors throughout San Diego County and Imperial County. 

Both CWA Local 9509 and AT&T declined to confirm if the Onder featured in the AFL-CIO article is the same Onder being prosecuted for religious-based vandalism.

Editor’s Note: Onder’s next court dates are a readiness hearing on April 9th and a preliminary hearing on April 24^th.

Thank you for supporting San Diego news platform S-Reporter

**

San Diego news for San Diego locals