A Margate man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for firearm offenses and planning attacks targeting Jewish and Black Americans. John Kevin Lapinski, Jr., 41, received a 300-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including possession of firearms as a convicted felon and possession of an unregistered silencer.
Authorities responded to a shots-fired call in Margate on October 31, 2024. Officers found that Lapinski, who was legally prohibited from owning firearms, was responsible for the shooting. During their investigation at his residence, police discovered a target depicting a Black male with bullet holes and uncovered five firearms, over 3,000 rounds of ammunition, silencers, body armor, smoke grenades, tactical gear, and other related items.
Investigators also found maps marked with racial slurs targeting Black and Jewish people as well as a list naming groups to attack based on race and religion. The list included local synagogues, Jewish-owned businesses, other religious sites, and the name of a Jewish member of Congress.
Lapinski was also linked by investigators to an August 2024 shooting where the home and vehicle of a Jewish resident were shot at.
“This defendant stockpiled weapons, tactical gear, and detailed attack plans to terrorize Jewish and Black Americans in our communities. His intent was not abstract—it was written on his maps, his targets, and his so-called hit list. Thanks to the swift work of our law enforcement partners, his plan never became reality. Instead of carrying out acts of racist violence, he will spend the next quarter-century behind bars. Let this sentence serve as a warning: hate-fueled violence will be met with decisive federal prosecution. We will disrupt your plans, seize your weapons, and ensure you never endanger the people of this District again.” - U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones.
The sentencing announcement came from U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Miami Field Division; and Chief Jonathan Shaw of the Margate Police Department.
The case was investigated by ATF agents working alongside FBI personnel and Margate police officers while Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton prosecuted it.
Court documents related to this case can be accessed through the District Court for the Southern District of Florida website (www.flsd.uscourts.gov) or via PACER (http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov), referencing case number 24-cr-60224.
Further information is available at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
