A man from Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty in federal court to making an antisemitic threat against a local public official and providing false statements to federal agents. The announcement was made by First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Edward Arthur Owens Jr., age 30, entered his plea before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer. According to information presented in court, on May 20, 2025, Owens sent a threatening message via a social media app targeting a local official who interacts regularly with the public. The message read: “We’re coming for you [emoji of person raising right hand] [German flag emoji] be afraid. Go back to Israel or better yet, exterminate yourself and save us the trouble. 109 countries for a reason. We will not stop until your kind is nonexistent.” Prosecutors explained that the reference to “109 countries” is an antisemitic claim used to promote hatred and call for the expulsion of Jews.
Additionally, on May 30, 2025, Owens gave false information to FBI special agents regarding his firearms. He told agents that all his firearms—a .22 LR caliber rifle, an AR-15 style rifle, and a 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol—were with his mother and that he did not know their location or have access to them. However, authorities determined that Owens still had custody of his 9mm pistol at the time; it was located inside the vehicle he drove just before speaking with agents.
Sentencing is set for April 13, 2026. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. The actual sentence will depend on the seriousness of the offenses and any prior criminal history.
Owens remains detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting the case for the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation resulting in these charges.
