Jakob Marcoulier, a 22-year-old soldier stationed at Fort Polk, was charged by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana on April 23 with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce after allegedly making violent threats against Jewish people in a synagogue through the online platform Discord.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about threats to religious freedom and the safety of Jewish communities. Law enforcement officials say they are committed to investigating and prosecuting such threats swiftly.
“Threats against synagogues and Jewish Americans are threats to the religious freedom promised to every single one of us, and this Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting those freedoms,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s vigilance and swift action in identifying and taking action against those who perpetrate these threats, and our Office looks forward to seeing justice done in this case.”
Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office said, “The FBI is focused on preventing violent hate crime attacks and disrupting violent criminal plots, before they occur. Once the concerned citizen reached out to 1-800-CALL-FBI to report this situation, FBI Special Agents in Birmingham and New Orleans, and our partners in the U.S. Army, acted swiftly in this case. This is a perfect example of how the public is law enforcement's greatest partner.”
According to court documents referenced by prosecutors, an online tip was received by the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center in February regarding a Discord user named “el.bostino” who made specific threats toward synagogues. Recorded audio obtained from Discord revealed statements attributed to Marcoulier describing plans for violence targeting Jewish individuals inside a synagogue following his military deployment.
Marcoulier was arrested on April 23 following an investigation led by the FBI alongside the Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division (DACID). The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Nickel with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
Authorities remind that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
