NY Jewish man arrested in 2022 synagogue shooting scheme sentenced to 2.5 years in prison

Matthew Mahrer, an autistic Jewish man who helped a neo-Nazi obtain an illegal firearm in 2022, has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison in a New York court.

Mahrer and his accomplice, Christopher Brown, were arrested in Manhattan after Brown threatened to shoot up a synagogue. Police recovered the firearm in Mahrer’s apartment. The incident received widespread attention and Mahrer’s case split local Jewish community members.

At Mahrer’s sentencing today, his family and supporters as well as Jewish community members calling for a harsh sentence filled the courtroom.

Mahrer’s lawyer pled for an alternative to prison, but the judge said that was not an option due to sentencing guidelines.

“I could not be more grateful that no one was hurt and I’m sorry to everyone, especially my family,” Mahrer tells the court. “I’m never going to stop trying to be a better person.”

Some of Mahrer’s family and supporters wept after the sentencing was announced.

In addition to the prison time, Mahrer will be under legal supervision for two years after his release.