New York

A judge sentenced a Californian man to more than a year in prison for making anti-LGBTQ+ threats against the dictionary company Merriam-Webster, Inc., and others.

Between October 2 and October 8, 2021, the defendant made a series of threatening messages and comments. Some of the threats were about the word entries for “Girl” and “Woman”, and the defendant sent comments through the website threatening to bomb Merriam-Webster’s offices. These threats led Merriam-Webster to temporarily close its offices in Springfield, Massachusetts and New York City, New York.

The same online user made similar threats to others, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, Land O’ Lakes, Hasbro, Inc., IGN Entertainment, the President of the University of North Texas, two professors at Loyola Marymount University, and a New York rabbi.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/california-man-sentenced-threatening-merriam-webster-anti-lgbtq-violence

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/california-man-pleads-guilty-threatening-merriam-webster-anti-lgbtq-violence

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/california-man-accused-threatening-merriam-webster-anti-lgbtq-violence-indicted

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/california-man-arrested-and-charged-making-threats-against-lgbtq-community

A New York man was sentenced to more than a year in prison for conspiring to attack New Yorkers because of their actual or perceived Jewish or Israeli identity.

According to evidence, the defendant conspired with others to commit Antisemitic hate crimes in New York City. On three separate occasions, the defendant assaulted people who were wearing religious clothing or items associated with Judaism or Israel.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/staten-island-man-sentenced-18-months-prison-conspiracy-commit-antisemitic-hate-crimes

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/antisemitic-assailant-pleads-guilty-conspiracy-commit-hate-crimes

A federal grand jury indicted a New York man in connection with the mass shooting at the Tops grocery store on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo, New York.

The indictment alleges that on or about May 14, the man opened fire and shot multiple individuals in and around the Tops grocery store, which resulted in the deaths of 10 Black people, as well as injury to three others.

The defendant faces up to life in prison or the death penalty.

An indictment is a serious accusation. But the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/federal-grand-jury-indicts-accused-tops-shooter-federal-hate-crimes-and-firearms-charges

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/accused-tops-shooter-charged-federal-hate-crimes-and-using-firearm-commit-murder

In November 2019, a woman, who is Jewish, began receiving numerous threatening text messages, voicemails and Facebook posts. In several text messages and voicemails, which continued until June 2020, the defendant threatened to murder and seriously injure the woman. He also threatened to blow up her house and car. Some of the threatening text messages contained anti-Semitic references to the Holocaust.

On December 23, 2019, the first day of Hannukah, the defendant sent the woman a message that included the words “Suns about to go down. It would be a shame if your house were used to light the menorah. Or turned in a gas chamber.” On April 8, 2020, the first day of Passover, he wrote “I’m going to kill you. You better be gone because if you’re in [the victim’s housing community] Easter weekend I’m going to stick you in an oven. Or I’m going to shoot you . . . . I should send you to a concentration camp.”

On June 26, 2020, only a few hours before the defendant was located and arrested by the FBI, the defendant left the victim a voicemail message stating, “The police are not going to help you. The courts are not going to help you. . . . I will kill you.”

The FBI investigation identified several other people who had been similarly threatened and harassed by the defendant.

On April 27, 2021, the defendant pled guilty to one count of interference with the right to fair housing, a hate crime, and one count of sending threatening communications. He was sentenced to 36 months of imprisonment, and additional punishment.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/pr/new-york-man-sentenced-3-years-federal-prison-hate-crime-offenses

A New York man was arrested and charged with setting fire to a yeshiva (a Jewish school) and synagogue on May 19, 2021.

He was captured on surveillance video piling and igniting garbage bags next to a Brooklyn building that housed a yeshiva and a synagogue. Hours later, he was captured on surveillance video again, this time repeatedly punching a man wearing traditional Hasidic garb. There was no interaction between the defendant and the victim prior to the assault.

The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/brooklyn-man-arrested-arson-yeshiva-and-synagogue

A New York Man has been charged by federal criminal complaint with making anti-Semitic death threats to a resident of Stratford, Connecticut.

On December 23, 2019, the first day of Hanukkah, the man began sending the victim, who is Jewish, threatening text messages. In several messages, he threatened to murder or seriously injure the victim. He also threatened to blow up the victim’s house and car. Some of the threatening text messages contained anti-Semitic references to the Holocaust.

The charges, which include a hate crime, carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/pr/new-york-man-arrested-hate-crime

A federal grand jury has indicted a New York man with federal hate crimes including willfully causing bodily injury to five victims because of the victims’ religion and for obstructing the free exercise of religion by attempting to kill during Hanukkah observances at a rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York.

The indictment alleges that on December 28, 2019, the subject was armed with an 18-inch machete and entered a rabbi’s home—adjacent to the rabbi’s synagogue—where dozens had gathered for Hanukkah. There he slashed and stabbed several of the assembled congregants. At least five victims were hospitalized with severe injuries. It is alleged that he targeted and attacked the congregants because of their religion.

Following the attack, he was stopped by members of the New York City Police Department. In the vehicle they saw a machete that appeared to have traces of dried blood on it. After securing warrants, law enforcement searched the subject’s residence and cellphone. The residence contained handwritten journals with several pages of anti-Semitic references, including references to “Adolf Hitler” and “Nazi Culture.” The cellphone contained internet searches for terms such as “Zionist Temples in Staten Island and New Jersey,” “why did Hitler hate the Jews,” and “prominent companies founded by Jews in America.” Also found was a webpage visit on the day of the attack to an article titled, “New York Increases Police Presence in Jewish Neighborhoods After Anti-Semitic Attacks. Here’s What to Know.”

Each count carries a maximum prison term of life.

Press Release:https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/orange-county-man-charged-additional-federal-hate-crimes-december-28-2019-machete-attack