WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Michigan man was indicted for conspiring with others and allegedly defacing Temple Jacob— a Jewish synagogue in Hancock, Michigan.
23-year-old Nathan Weeden of Houghton, along with co-conspirators Richard Tobin of New Jersey and Yousef Barasneh of Wisconsin, vandalized Temple Jacob with swastikas and symbols associated with multi-state, white supremacist group “The Base,” according to court documents.
The United States Department of Justice says Weeden, Tobin and Barasneh, all members of The Base, are accused of using an encrypted messaging platform to talk about vandalizing property associated with African Americans and Jewish Americans.
Weeden and his co-conspirators dubbed their plan “Operation Kristallnacht,” which means “Night of Broken Glass” in German— referring specifically to November 9-10, 1938, when Nazis murdered Jewish people while burning and destroying their homes, synagogues, schools and businesses.
Court documents claim Weeden carried out the plan on September 21, 2019, when he spray-painted swastikas and symbols associated with The Base on the outside walls of Temple Jacob.
Weeden was arrested Thursday and charged with one count of conspiracy against rights and one count of damage to religious property.
The maximum penalty is ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and one year in prison and a $100,000 fine, respectively.
The FBI investigated this case, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hancock Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler for the Western District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
