An Arizona man was indicted for making almost a thousand antisemitic threats to torture, mutilate, and murder New York Jews, the New York Southern District US Attorney’s Office announced.
Mesa resident Donovan Hall was arrested on November 22 for an alleged three-month campaign in which he contacted several victims in New York and was charged Wednesday with two counts of making interstate threats and one count of interstate stalking. Each charge carries with it a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
“We allege Hall used graphic and hate-filled rhetoric to terrorize several victims in New York City and around the US,” acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson Delgado said. “These malicious phone calls escalated to text messages brazenly displaying his weapons, furthering his victims’ worst fears. The FBI has zero tolerance for hate-filled speech, threats, and violent actions. We will not rest until those who commit these types of crimes are held accountable.”
In August, Hall made death threats in dozens of antisemitic phone calls to the owner of a Manhattan hotel, their family, and staff.
Campaign of terror
Hall texted photographs of two firearms and a machete to the hotel owner, along with threats to use the weapons against him and his family. When Hall was arrested in November, the two weapons, which were not registered in his name, were found with his wallet in a backpack. One of the weapons was loaded.
“Donovan Hall allegedly unleashed a campaign of terror against several Jewish New Yorkers, allegedly sending scores of hateful, violent, and antisemitic death threats.
“No individual deserves to be at the receiving end of these types of threats or to be targeted because of their religion,” acting US Attorney Edward Kim said in a statement.“This Office is committed to aggressively prosecuting hate crimes of all kinds and seeking justice for the victims of these offensive and harmful acts.”