Man charged with hate crime after defacing worship hall

A Port Jefferson man who told police he believed he was "doing God's work" was arrested after he allegedly poured motor oil onto the rear entrance of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Mount Sinai.

William Frank Kelly, 73, of 17 Sheep Pasture Rd., was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime after his arrest Thursday, Suffolk police said.

He was ordered held on $10,000 bond or $5,000 bail at his arraignment Friday in First District Court in Central Islip, officials said. His next court date is Wednesday.

Kelly told police he had attended "a memorial of Jesus Christ's death" at the Jehovah's Witness hall on Tuesday night, where he questioned the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses and was asked to leave.

Police said Kelly told them that, "believing he was doing God's work," he returned to the hall early Wednesday and poured two quarts of motor oil at the rear entrance. The incident was captured on video surveillance equipment at the hall, police said.

Kelly, in a video posted on News 12 Long Island's Web site, told reporters, "Pouring oil on a welcome mat is not a hate crime."