Michigan Man Admits to Threatening Jewish Mass Shooting on Instagram
- A 19-year-old Michigan man named Seann Pietila pleaded guilty to threatening to commit a mass shooting targeting Jewish people. The threats were made in a series of Instagram messages.
- Pietila’s online exchange was reported to the FBI around June 13. Following his detainment and a subsequent search of his home, authorities found firearms, tactical vests, scopes, a Nazi flag, black skull masks and other items. On his iPhone, investigators found the name of an East Lansing, Michigan, synagogue, a date and a list of weapons, including bombs, Molotov cocktails and guns.
- Pietila faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to a single federal charge of transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce. His sentencing will be held in March, and he will no longer be allowed to possess any firearms, according to the Justice Department.
A Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening Mass Killing Against Jews
A 19-year-old man from Michigan admitted to making online threats on Instagram about a mass shooting targeting Jewish people, according to authorities.
Seann Pietila conversed via Instagram about a possible mass shooting, including broadcasting the attack live. His messages expressed support for neo-Nazi ideology, anti-Semitism, and past mass shooters, according to the indictment. Pietila encouraged others to fight against the “Jewish controlled state.”
The U.S. Department of Justice has noted a significant rise in threats against the Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities in the U.S. FBI Director Christopher Wray has highlighted rising antisemitism in the country.
After receiving a tip about Pietila’s online messages in mid-June, the FBI detained him and searched his home. They found firearms, tactical equipment, a Nazi flag, and other potentially incriminating items, as per the criminal complaint.
Investigations also revealed a note on Pietila’s iPhone containing the name of a Michigan-based synagogue, a date, and a list of weapons, including bombs, Molotov cocktails, and guns.
Despite these revelations, Pietila claimed he had no intention of executing the mass shootings he discussed. The defendant informed authorities he was in contact with a New Zealand-based 16-year-old boy on Instagram, the complaint states.
Pietila pleaded guilty to the federal charge of transmitting threatening communications across states. He faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. His sentencing will take place in March, and he will not be allowed to own any firearms, reports the Department of Justice.
“No one should face violent threats because of their race, ethnicity, religion, or any other status,” said Mark Totten, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. “We are committed to preventing and prosecuting illegal acts of hate fueled by antisemitism, Islamophobia, or anti-Arab bias.”
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