A South Carolina man was charged with a hate crime for allegedly defacing multiple buildings at a Charlotte complex used by the Jewish community, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson on June 12. Dalton Ray Mullis, 24, of Indian Land, was arrested on Thursday following a criminal complaint and appeared in court before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler.
“This is America, which was founded on the free exercise of religion and people ought to be free to worship without being threatened,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Posting Nazi and lynching symbols on the Jewish Community Center is pure hate and it’s disgusting.”
FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis said, “The individual arrested yesterday is alleged to have distributed threatening materials at community institutions in an attempt to create fear or intimidate individuals based on their religious beliefs. These acts undermine public safety and violate federal law. The right to gather, learn, and worship are fundamental in our country and the FBI will continue to work resolutely with our partners to ensure that all members of the public are free to do so without fear.”
According to allegations detailed in the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, Mullis traveled on January 19 to Shalom Park in Charlotte—home of several Jewish organizations including the Jewish Community Center (JCC), Charlotte Jewish Day School (CJDS), Holocaust Memorial, among others—and allegedly affixed antisemitic flyers depicting a noose, swastika, and Totenkopf symbol onto multiple buildings including CJDS and an employee building. Surveillance footage reportedly captured Mullis spraying adhesive at one entrance before placing a flyer onto a door.
Between January and April 2026, charging documents allege that Mullis posted antisemitic messages through social media accounts he owned or operated.
Mullis remains in federal custody; if convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison under statutory maximums determined by court guidelines. Ferguson commended local law enforcement agencies for their assistance investigating this case.
The charges against Mullis are allegations; he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
This case falls under National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 initiative—a White House-led effort integrating federal, state, and local partners protecting First Amendment rights while targeting political violence participants led by Joint Task Force Vanguard.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina operates under the Department of Justice with nearly 100 prosecutors and staff across facilities in Charlotte and Asheville; it handles prosecution of federal crimes as well as civil actions for government interests throughout its jurisdiction—including half of Great Smoky Mountains National Park—as described by the official website.