QUEENS, N.Y. – A Texas man has been indicted on charges of making terroristic threats as a hate crime after a series of threatening, anti-Muslim messages were sent to New York State Assemblyman and mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, prosecutors announced.
Jeremy Fistel, 44, of Plano, Texas, was arraigned Thursday on a 22-count indictment charging him with four counts of making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, four counts of making a terroristic threat, seven counts of aggravated harassment in the second degree as a hate crime and seven counts of aggravated harassment in the second degree.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Fistel began leaving violent and threatening messages for Mamdani’s office in June, escalating through July. According to prosecutors, the messages included threats to shoot the assemblyman, harm his family and references to his Ugandan and Muslim background. On July 8, Fistel allegedly submitted a written message through Mamdani’s website calling for his death and expressing hopes that his wife and children would be murdered…