Current:Home > FinanceMichigan man accused of planning synagogue attack indicted by grand jury-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Michigan man accused of planning synagogue attack indicted by grand jury
View Date:2024-12-23 18:55:40
A 19-year-old Michigan man who was arrested earlier this month on allegations that he used social media to discuss plans to attack a synagogue was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury.
Seann Patrick Pietila was indicted on two counts of threatening communications in interstate commerce, and one count of threat to kill or injure by means of fire, according to court documents.
The suspect used Instagram to discuss his plans to "commit acts of violence to kill other people," the Justice Department said in a news release, adding that he posted Instagram messages which were antisemitic, expressed neo-Nazi ideology and praised mass shooters.
Pietila was arrested by FBI agents on June 16, three days after federal investigators were alerted to his online activity. According to previous court documents, following his arrest, investigators searched his phone and found a note referencing Shaarey Zedek, a synagogue in East Lansing, Michigan.
They also found the date, March 15, 2024, which was an apparent reference to the deadly New Zealand mass shooting that occurred on March 15, 2019, court documents said. Also discovered on the phone was a list of equipment, including pipe bombs, Molotov cocktails and firearms.
When investigators searched his home, they found a 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition, several knives, tactical vests and a Nazi flag, court documents stated.
If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the charge of threatening communications in interstate commerce, and five years for the charge of threat to kill or injure by means of fire.
"No one should face violent threats because of their race, ethnicity, religion, or any other status," Mark Totten, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Michigan, said in a statement. "We have seen a rise in antisemitism across the nation and here in Michigan, and my office is committed to using all our powers to protect the public and ensure accountability."
In a report released in March, the Anti-Defamation League found that the number of antisemitic incidents in the U.S. rose 36% in 2022 compared to the year before.
Earlier this month, a 50-year-old man was found guilty on 63 criminal counts in a 2018 shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue which killed 11 people, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.
— Cara Tabachnick, Robert Legare and Jordan Freiman contributed to this report.
- In:
- East Lansing
- Antisemitism
- Hate Crime
- Michigan
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Beyoncé course coming to Yale University to examine her legacy
- Bear killed after biting man and engaging in standoff with his dog in Northern California
- Tropical Cyclone Jasper weakens while still lashing northeastern Australia with flooding rain
- Missouri launches a prescription drug database to help doctors spot opioid addictions
- Tesla issues 6th Cybertruck recall this year, with over 2,400 vehicles affected
- 5 things to know about the latest abortion case in Texas
- Pakistan court says military trials can resume for 103 supporters of Imran Khan
- Court upholds judge’s ruling ordering new election in Louisiana sheriff’s race decided by one vote
- It's cozy gaming season! Video game updates you may have missed, including Stardew Valley
- Taco Bell testing two new menu items: What to know about Coffee Chillers and Churro Chillers
Ranking
- Bluesky has added 1 million users since the US election as people seek alternatives to X
- Colorado ranching groups sue state, federal agencies to delay wolf reintroduction
- U.S. wildlife managers play matchmaker after endangered female wolf captured
- Travis Kelce Gives Girlfriend Taylor Swift a Shoutout Over Top-Selling Jersey Sales
- Horoscopes Today, November 9, 2024
- Dick Nunis, who helped expand Disney’s theme park ambitions around the globe, dies at age 91
- Apple now requires court orders in U.S. to access push notification data
- Young Thug's racketeering trial delayed to 2024 after co-defendant stabbed in Atlanta jail
Recommendation
-
Candidates line up for special elections to replace Virginia senators recently elected to US House
-
The Supreme Court rejects an appeal over bans on conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ children
-
Rare red-flanked bluetail bird spotted for the first time in the eastern US: See photos
-
5 things to know about the latest abortion case in Texas
-
Shawn Mendes Confesses He and Camila Cabello Are No Longer the Closest
-
How Hilary Duff survives the holidays: 'Lizzie McGuire' star talks parenting stress, more
-
Tennessee audit says state prisons mishandled sexual assault cases. Here's why the problem could worsen
-
Brazil’s Senate approves Lula ally as new Supreme Court justice