Donovan Hall, 34, of Mesa, Ariz., was indicted on Wednesday for making threatening phone calls using antisemitic and threatening language, in addition to sending text messages using violent imagery to multiple victims.
Hall was arrested on Nov. 22 and was subsequently presented in federal court in the District of Arizona before his case was brought to New York.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced the three-count indictment, which included two counts of making interstate threats and one count of interstate stalking. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The defendant “unleashed a campaign of terror against several Jewish New Yorkers, allegedly sending scores of hateful, violent and antisemitic death threats,” said Edward Kim, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. “No individual deserves to be at the receiving end of these types of threats or to be targeted because of their religion.”
Over three months, Hall contacted several individuals in New York City roughly 1,000 times, making antisemitic and violent threats to torture and murder them and their families, according to court documents.
In October, Hall escalated his threats to include texting photographs of two firearms and a machete along with death threats to the individuals.
“The FBI has ZERO tolerance for hate-filled speech, threats and violent actions,” said Nelson Delgado, the FBI’s acting special agent in charge of the Newark field office. “We will not rest until those who commit these types of crimes are held accountable.”
During a search of Hall’s home in Arizona on Nov. 22, law enforcement uncovered the firearms—neither of which were registered in Hall’s name–among other weapons and ammunition.
Prosecutors say Hall’s threats were part of a larger pattern of death threats sent to individuals, most often Jews, around the United States.
