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Joseph Schreiber: Man arrested for mosque arson has long criminal history

Posted at 6:33 PM, Sep 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-15 20:34:30-04

For 32-year-old Joseph Schreiber standing before a judge is nothing new. Schreiber's criminal history shows he has spent more than five years in prison.

In 2003, Schreiber was caught stealing from a Fort Pierce Walmart.

In 2006, he gave rides to kids on his motorcycle. One girl fell off and hurt herself. Schreiber was charged with leaving the scene.

Later that year he was caught stealing at a Sears in St. Lucie County.

RELATED: Mosque members assess damage, ask for help finding arsonist

In 2007, he was arrested for both trespassing and grand theft. in 2010, he stole from a Macy's in Jensen Beach and threatened officers with a knife.

He was released from prison in 2014.

Now he is charged with Arson and Florida's hate crime enhancement.

Schreiber lived with his parents in Port St. Lucie. Thursday nobody answered the door.

"It's hard. It's got to be hard for any parent," says Rabbi Bruce Benson.

Benson says he met Schreiber seven months ago at a Torah study.

"Found him to be just fine. Just wanted to study the bible and leave," says Benson.

Schreiber's Facebook page tells a different story. His social media postings reveal hatred in his multiple anti-Islamic posts.

"Disrespect like that is just inappropriate. I don't know where it comes from," says Benson.

The Anti-Defamation League- Florida Region praised the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office. The director said in a statement that "The Muslim community should know it does not stand alone. We strongly condemn Joseph Schreiber's hate-motivated actions."