From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
After local indictment, man who allegedly attacked congregant at NYC synagogue hit with federal hate crime charges
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLuke Tress is The Times of Israel's New York correspondent.
The US Department of Justice announces federal hate crime charges against Larry Montes, who allegedly disrupted a New York City synagogue service on Friday.
Montes allegedly shouted at congregants during a Shabbat service at the Reform Central Synagogue in Manhattan, assaulted a congregant and a guard, and destroyed synagogue property.
He was previously charged with hate crimes in a New York City court.
The Department of Justice says the federal Southern District of New York court has charged Montes with two counts of committing hate crimes, each carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
He is also charged with one count of damage to religious property resulting in bodily injury, with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The federal statement says that Montes said during a post-arrest interview, “Fuck the Jews,” “I will never affiliate with no filthy fucking synagogues, either here or in fucking Israel,” and that the incident at the synagogue was “a racial thing” and “all religious motivated.”
He also hurled a racial slur at a Black security guard during the incident, the statement says.
The Times of Israel Community.