Larry Montes, already facing state-level hate crime charges, has been charged with federal hate crimes in Manhattan federal court for allegedly attacking a 63-year-old woman and a security guard at Central Synagogue in New York City during Shabbat services on Friday, prosecutors said.
Federal Charges Filed
Montes is charged with two counts of committing hate crimes and one count of damage to religious property resulting in bodily injury, according to Manhattan federal prosecutors. The alleged attack occurred after 6pm as Shabbat services were getting started.
Authorities said Montes allegedly struck the woman as security was trying to remove him from the synagogue. He also allegedly spat at and head-butted a security team member and damaged synagogue property.
Incident Details
The woman suffered a cut on her lip and a forearm injury. A New York Police Department sergeant assigned to Central Synagogue intervened immediately and arrested Montes, authorities said.
The attack was visible on a livestream of the services, which showed a man yelling as a security guard attempted to restrain him and escort him out of the synagogue.
Ongoing Case
Montes now faces both state and federal charges related to the incident. The federal charges carry potential penalties including imprisonment and fines, though specific sentencing guidelines have not been detailed in the initial charging documents.
