MOUNT LAUREL, NJ – The case of the “Mount Laurel Racist” has ended, and the man at the center of a viral internet video that went national in 2021 has pleaded guilty to charges that he targeted and harassed his black neighbors.
Edward C. Mathews, 47, has pled guilty to four counts of Bias Intimidation (Fourth Degree) and one count of Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance with Intent to Distribute (Second Degree). The plea comes as part of an agreement with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and mandates an eight-year prison sentence.
The plea was entered yesterday before the Hon. Gerard H. Breland, J.S.C., in Mount Holly. Sentencing is scheduled for December 8.
In the viral video, Matthews told his African American neighbor to ‘leave’, saying, “This is not Africa; get out here.”
The charges involve Mathews’ mistreatment of five former neighbors and were initially filed following an investigation that began on July 2, 2021. A resident had approached the Mount Laurel Police Department to file a harassment complaint against Mathews. The same day, an officer responded to a Coventry Way residence, finding Mathews engaged in a verbal altercation involving racial slurs with four residents.
In addition to the bias charges, Mathews also pled guilty to drug offenses. The drug charge was filed after a search of his home led to the discovery of numerous psilocin mushrooms, known for their hallucinogenic effects.
The investigation also unveiled a pattern of abuse by Mathews against his neighbors, including leaving a threatening note on one of their vehicles.
The investigation was carried out by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Mount Laurel Police Department, led by Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw.