ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – An Orange County jury found a Polk County man, Burt Colucci, 48, guilty of Battery after he attacked a man during a confrontation at a Neo-Nazi demonstration in Waterford Lakes in 2022.

On January 29, 2022, a group of Neo-Nazi demonstrators gathered near the intersection of North Alafaya Trail and Waterford Lakes Parkway. The victim, David Newstat, approached the demonstrators which led to a verbal confrontation with Colucci and the demonstrators. Symbols on Mr. Newstat’s vehicle and a necklace identifying him as Jewish further provoked and incited Colucci and the demonstrators. The situation escalated and became physical. Colucci pepper-sprayed Newstat before the victim was able to escape.

Following the incident, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office obtained an arrest warrant for Colucci and Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents arrested him in Polk County.

The victim and defendant testified during the trial. Colucci admitted to verbally harassing Newstat using several anti-Semitic slurs and profanity. Evidence presented at the trial included eyewitness accounts and cell phone videos that documented the verbal exchange and identified Colucci as the person who pepper-sprayed the victim.

After a three-day trial, a jury found Colucci guilty of misdemeanor Battery. The judge set a sentencing date for May 2.