SWAMPSCOTT – A Dracut man who police say tried to run over a Star of David at the entrance of Congregation Shirat Hayam appeared via Zoom at a pretrial hearing in Lynn District Court on Friday, Aug. 7. He is facing charges of destruction of property, a civil rights violation and other counts after allegedly driving his car over a front garden/mulch bed at Shirat Hayam on the early morning of June 30.
Nick Ashtar-Zadeh of Dracut, who was 24 at the time of the incident, appeared before Judge Leo Fama on video from Middleton Jail as he faces charges of malicious destruction of property over $1,200, destruction or threats to destroy a place of worship over $5,000, property damage to intimidate and a civil rights violation.
Ashtar-Zadeh is alleged to have driven a red Tesla Model 3 over the large synagogue’s front garden/mulch bed and attempted to knock over the Star of David sculpture by striking it with his car, according to a police report. He also reportedly got out of his car and ripped up flowers and tried to push the sculpture over with his hands, the report said.
On Friday, he was ordered held in jail in lieu of his posting $3,000 bail with an in-person hearing scheduled for Aug. 17.
During the hearing, Essex County Assistant District Attorney Kaitlyn Bastarache said the case “is going to be indicted” within 30 days, meaning prosecutors were presenting the case to a grand jury. If the grand jury finds probable cause, the case would move to Superior Court, which hears more serious offenses that can carry state prison time.
If convicted on the destruction/threats to destroy a place of worship charge, the defendant could face up to 5 years in state prison or a fine of not more than three times the value of the property or both.
Ashtar-Zadeh’s Lynn attorney, Brendan Gupta, said he had located a program with an open bed for his client, saying he thought he was having some mental health issues in jail. With his client on federal probation in an unrelated case, Gupta said his client would be allowed to be released to a mental health program.
During the discussion about whether he would appear in person, Ashtar-Zadeh asked to make a statement. Gupta strongly advised against that, saying he would come to the jail to speak with him.
Ashtar Zadeh told the court a federal judge had approved a mental health facility “upon my release.” Judge Fama said he would need to see evidence of that at the next hearing.
A message was left for Gupta seeking additional comment.
Around 7:30 a.m. on June 30, Swampscott police responded to the synagogue at 55 Atlantic Ave. for a report of suspicious activity for a car that damaged the property, according to court documents. An investigation using security and other video cameras led detectives to identify the car and the driver. Saugus police located Ashtar-Zadeh and arrested him on a warrant on July 6.
At his arraignment the next day, he was ordered held in Middleton on $3,000 cash bail. His bail was revoked in a separate case in Lawrence District Court in May, according to court documents. Charges in that separate case include breaking and entering in the night-time, larceny over $1,200 and wanton destruction of property, according to court documents.
Ashtar-Zadeh had also been on federal probation after being sentenced in March 2025 in a wire fraud scheme involving the online sales of cosmetics, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. He had been sentenced to six months in prison followed by two years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution.
Correction: Due to a reporting error, the length of a prison sentence and supervised release for defendant Nick Ashtar-Zadeh regarding his federal sentencing for a fraud scheme involving online sales of cosmetics was incorrect online and in print. He was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. When his sentencing occured has also been corrected to March 2025. The Journal regrets the errors.
Ethan Forman can be reached at ethan@jewishjournal.org.
