White Supremacist Sentenced for Federal Hate Crimes for
Conspiracy Targeting Black and Jewish People and Desecrating
Office of Public Affairs
A Michigan man was sentenced today to 26 months in prison
followed by three years of supervised release for conspiring with other members
of a white supremacist group, The Base, to victimize Black and Jewish people,
and for defacing Temple Jacob, a Jewish synagogue in Hancock, Michigan, using
swastikas and symbols associated with The Base.
Nathan Weeden, 24, of Houghton, was convicted at trial in
January of one count of conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate
any person in the exercise of their rights and one count of intentionally
defacing, damaging or destroying religious property because of the race or
ethnic characteristics of individuals associated with that property. Weeden's
co-conspirators, Richard Tobin, of New Jersey, and Yousef Barasneh, of
Wisconsin, both previously pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges related
to the incident.
“This sentence sends a strong message that threatening and
intimidating people because of their religion, race or ethnic characteristics
will not be tolerated in this country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen
Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “White
supremacist-fueled violence is a stain on our history and perpetrators of such
violence will be held accountable. No one should live in fear because of who
they are, what they believe or where they worship. The Justice Department will
continue to investigate and prosecute those who desecrate houses of worship and
who conspire to intimidate people seeking to exercise the legal rights
guaranteed to all Americans.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that hate will
not be tolerated,” said
“The impact of the defendant’s crimes
extend far beyond destruction of property,” said Executive Assistant
Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “The FBI will
not accept hate-driven threats of violence intended to emotionally and/or
physically harm victims and will rigorously investigate anyone conspiring to
vandalize houses of worship and intimidate other from safely practicing their
religion.”
“Accountability matters. Today’s sentence is representative
of our community's views on hate crime-inspired violence. People who engage in
this behavior will be identified and fully prosecuted by the law,” said Special
Agent in Charge James Deir of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives (ATF) Detroit Field Division. “ATF is steadfast in its commitment to
protecting everyone across this great state against violent criminals fueled by
hatred and intolerance.”
The evidence at trial established that, in September 2019,
Weeden, Tobin and Barasneh, all members of The Base, used an encrypted
messaging platform to discuss vandalizing property associated with Black and
Jewish Americans. Weeden and his co-conspirators dubbed their plan,
"Operation Kristallnacht” — a term that means "Night of Broken
Glass,” and refers to events that took place on Nov. 9 and 10, 1938, when Nazis
murdered Jews and burned and destroyed their homes, synagogues, schools and
places of business. Weeden carried out this plan on Sept. 21, 2019, when he
spray-painted swastikas and symbols associated with The Base on the outside
walls of
The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case, with
assistance from the ATF and 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 prosecuted the case.
Updated