Guilty Plea for Death Threats to Synagogue Related to Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

From a press release by the federal prosecutor’s office in Massachusetts, released Nov. 25 but just posted on Westlaw:

A Millis, Mass. man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to threatening to kill members of the Jewish community and bomb Jewish synagogues….

On the morning of Jan. 25, 2024, Reardon called a synagogue in Attleboro, Mass. and left a voicemail that included threats of violence.

Within 10 minutes of leaving the voicemail at the Congregation Agudas Achim, Reardon called another local Synagogue in Sharon, Mass. and left a voicemail that included threats of violence.

Reardon was arrested by law enforcement after the calls were made. Following his arrest, investigators learned that Reardon had called the Israeli Consulate in Boston 98 times between Oct. 7, 2023 and Jan. 29, 2024. In many of those calls, Reardon made harassing and intimidating statements.

The guilty plea is to three counts, which cover threats to the two synagogues and acting “with the intent to harass and intimidate” and cause substantial emotional distress to Israeli Consulate employees. The press release doesn’t discuss the details of plaintiff’s threats of violence, but here is what an FBI agent’s affidavit in support of the criminal complaint says as to the statements to Synagogue 1:

During the course of the approximately two-minute message, the caller
stated:
a. “From the river to the sea;”
b. “you do realize that by supporting genocide that means it’s ok for people to
commit genocide against you.’
c. “with supporting the killing of innocent little children, that means it’s OK to kill
your children”
d. “people are going to use your logic against you stupid fucks”
e. “Guess what? We are going to use your logic if you can kill the Palestinians we
can kill you.”
f. “if you can bomb their fucking places of worship we can bomb yours, if you can
kill their children we can kill yours”
g. “you people need to stop the fucking genocide”
h. “end the genocide, or it is time to end Israel and all the Jews”
i. “I supported Jewish people though. Not anymore. A matter of fact I think we
should kill you(s) all.”
j. “have a lousy day and oh don’t be surprised if there’s pig blood on your steps
tomorrow”

As to Synagogue 2, the count of the superseding information to which Reardon pleaded guilty alleges that he “left a voicemail threatening the ‘killing of all Jews’ and ‘stomping their babies dead into the ground.’” I couldn’t find details as to just what “harassing and intimidating statements” Reardon said to the people at the Consulate.

The post Guilty Plea for Death Threats to Synagogue Related to Israeli-Palestinian Conflict appeared first on Reason.com.

READ MORE