Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 29, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a straw purchase of a firearm and for carrying out religious hate crimes. The charges stem from an incident outside Temple Israel in Albany on December 7, 2023.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, Alkhader conspired with Andrew Miller between November 1 and November 6, 2023. Miller agreed to buy a shotgun by misrepresenting himself as the purchaser at a federal firearms dealer in Albany. On November 5, they bought a Kel-Tec KS7 12-gauge pump-action shotgun.
On December 7, Alkhader took an Uber to Temple Israel and approached the synagogue with the shotgun. He fired two shots into the air while shouting “Free Palestine!” and attempted to fire again before the weapon jammed. He then tried to remove an Israeli flag from a flagpole outside the building. The actions led Temple Israel to cancel planned Chanukah events that evening and caused fear among congregants.
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 significance of the case: “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.”
U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also imposed five years of supervised release following Alkhader’s prison term.
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 noted cooperation among agencies: “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 in purchasing the firearm illegally; he received a sentence of 14 months’ imprisonment.
The investigation involved collaboration between 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-division), Albany Police Department (https://www.albanyny.gov/221/Police-Department), New York State Police (https://troopers.ny.gov/), and prosecutors from both local U.S Attorney’s Offices (https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny) as well as attorneys from various divisions within DOJ.
Assistant U.S Attorneys Richard Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping prosecuted alongside Trial Attorneys Trevor Kempner (Civil Rights Division) and Jennifer Levy (National Security Division). Additional counsel came from Assistant U.S Attorneys Michael Perry and Michael Gadarian.
