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Nantucket man accused of chopping down neighbor’s trees is being criminally charged
Jonathan Jacoby was charged this week with felony vandalism, trespassing, and unlawful destruction of trees.
A Nantucket man who cut down his neighbor’s trees in an alleged attempt to improve his home’s ocean view is facing criminal charges.
Jonathan Jacoby, 55, is accused of ordering the removal of 16 trees, including Leyland cypresses, that resided on his neighbor’s property for decades, according to a Boston Globe report. He was charged Thursday in Nantucket District Court with felony vandalism, trespassing, and unlawful destruction of trees. He faces up to three years in state prison if convicted on the vandalism charge.
In addition to the charges, the tree owners, Patricia and Richard Belford, are suing Jacoby for over $1.4 million in damages. The Globe reported that the couple no longer resides at the Nantucket property — they live in an assisted living facility in Florida.
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In March, a neighbor told property manager Matt Erisman that the Belfords’ trees had been cut down. Erisman notified the police, who then launched an investigation.
According to a police report, Jacoby told investigators that he had chopped down the trees a week earlier with permission from the Belfords. However, the Belfords deny giving such permission, and in their civil suit, say Jacoby chopped the trees “to enhance the ocean view from his own residence … with full knowledge that he lacked any legal right to do so.”
According to the Globe report, Jacoby had listed his home for nearly $10 million last year, but withdrew the listing in December. He put the home back on the market in May, with a revised description saying that it had “sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean.” The house remains on the market, according to its listing.
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“It was just a disgusting scene,” Erisman told the Globe. “Even outside of my professional work, I’ve never seen a neighbor act like that and just deceive their neighbor like he did. … I want [Jacoby] to be held accountable for everything that he’s guilty of. It’s just disturbing, honestly.”
A court date for the criminal case is set for Sept. 15.
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