A man in Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to anti-Semitic threats he made to his neighbors, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced on Tuesday.
Douglas Schifer, 66, threatened neighbors and their guests because of their religion during an outdoor gathering at the neighbors’ home on Nov. 7, 2020, court documents stated.
Schifer shouted at them, “all you f**king people, it’s no wonder Hitler burned you people in ovens, “f**king Hitler should have gassed you,” and “Jews burn, you belong in ovens.”
He yelled “anti-Semitic slurs, obscenities and other derogatory language about their religion” at his neighbors and their guests, and “also made reference to gassing Jewish people, chopping them up, and burning them in ovens,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
He additionally broke the neighbor’s window, spat on one of the neighbors and threatened to poison their dog if it came near his fence. A federal criminal complaint was filed in March.
Schifer admitted threatening his neighbors and their dog, and to “burn to the ground” a garage they were remodeling into an apartment. He pleaded guilty to criminally interfering with the right to fair housing, and faces up to one year in prison and a possible fine of up to $100,000.
