An accused anti-Israel arsonist has turned himself in to authorities five weeks after allegedly torching 10 New York City Police Department (NYPD) vehicles and a police trailer, authorities announced Monday. 

Jakhi Lodgson-McCray, 21, of New Jersey, was identified in mid-June through forensics and video evidence, and the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force “was hot on his trail” when he turned himself in without incident, accompanied by his lawyer and mother, at a food bazaar in Brooklyn to face federal arson charges, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced on Monday.

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

In requesting a detention order ahead of his initial court appearance, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella of the Eastern District of New York noted McCray set fire to the NYPD vehicles the Thursday before protests were scheduled over the June 14-15 weekend, “thereby compromising NYPD resources to protect and secure 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.