A Schenectady man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a straw purchase of a firearm and for firing shots outside Temple Israel, a synagogue in Albany, New York. Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 29, received the sentence after pleading guilty to conspiring to illegally purchase a firearm, obstructing religious exercise with a dangerous weapon, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said, “The Department of Justice stands firmly against antisemitism and all hate crimes. We are committed to protecting everyone in our communities and upholding the freedom of religion as enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution.”
Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III commented on the broader context of the crime: “This shooting, outside of a synagogue on the eve of a Channukah celebration, was unfortunately emblematic of the anti-Semitic violence, rhetoric and practices that have swept this country over the last few years. This year, the Justice Department has emphatically said – through its words and actions – no more. My Office, with our law enforcement partners, will do everything within our powers to make sure everyone in the Northern District of New York can exercise their right to practice their religion without fear of violence and hatred.”
Court documents state that between November 1 and November 6, 2023, Alkhader worked with Andrew Miller to acquire a shotgun by having Miller falsely claim he was purchasing it for himself at an Albany firearms dealer. On November 5, they purchased a Kel-Tec KS7 12-gauge pump-action shotgun.
On December 7, Alkhader traveled by Uber from his home to Temple Israel. Upon arrival around 2 p.m., he walked toward the entrance while displaying the shotgun and fired two rounds into the air while shouting “Free Palestine!” He attempted but failed to fire again due to a jammed weapon before trying unsuccessfully to remove an Israeli flag from outside Temple Israel. Police later arrested him near a hospital.
As a result of these actions, Temple Israel canceled its scheduled Chanukah concert and candle lighting ceremony that evening out of concern for safety.
U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci ordered Alkhader’s prison term be followed by five years’ supervised release.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “Mr. Alkhader’s violent actions were fueled by hatred for individuals simply because of their faith. That hatred caused tremendous terror within the Temple Israel community – and the Jewish community as a whole – as they were preparing for the first night of Channukah. We hope this sentence can play an important part in the community’s continued healing process, but can also serve as a notice that violence, especially borne from hate, will not be tolerated by the FBI. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate these hateful incidents and bring justice to the victims, so no one has to live in fear.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller said: “This sentencing reflects our commitment to stopping those who unlawfully obtain firearms to cause fear and chaos in our communities. When individuals conspire to bypass gun laws and use firearms to intimidate others, they will be held accountable. This case highlights the importance of our ongoing work to disrupt illegal firearm activity before it turns deadly. I’m grateful for the partnership between ATF NY Albany Field Office, FBI Albany, the Albany Police Department, the New York State Police and U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of NY — a united front in keeping our communities safe.”
Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox added: “The sentencing in this case sends a clear message that violence and crimes of hate targeting any community, including those of our Jewish community, will not be tolerated. The Albany Police Department remains committed to protecting all communities and to hold those accountable who seek to spread fear and hate.”
Andrew Miller previously pleaded guilty for his role as straw purchaser; he was sentenced earlier this year.
The investigation involved cooperation among multiple agencies including FBI’s Albany Field Office (https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/albany), ATF (https://www.atf.gov/contact/atf-new-york-field-divisions), Albany Police Department (https://www.albanyny.gov/211/Police-Department), New York State Police (https://troopers.ny.gov/), along with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping from Northern District of New York.
