Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that JAMIL HAKIME was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for conspiring to transport a firearm interstate in connection with HAKIME’s sale of a firearm and 19 rounds of ammunition on November 18, 2022, to Christopher Brown and Matthew Mahrer. Brown and Mahrer planned to use the weapon to violently attack a synagogue in New York City. At the time of the sale, HAKIME was employed by New York City’s Administration for Children Services (“ACS”), where he worked with New York City youth. HAKIME previously pled guilty on March 14, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jamil Hakime, a City employee who was supposed to be protecting youths, instead decided to arm two men — one of whom had just declared on Twitter his plan to ‘shoot up a synagogue’ — with a powerful firearm and ammunition. But for swift action by law enforcement, Hakime’s actions could have resulted in a monumental tragedy on New York’s Jewish community and could have devastated the lives of many people who were targeted solely for their religious beliefs and their desire to worship. The sentence imposed today sends a clear message to those who would recklessly arm others with weapons that may be used to commit acts of mass violence that such conduct will not be tolerated.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Hakime admitted that he willingly chose to provide two men with a firearm enhanced with features enabling it to harm dozens of victims. The men to whom he chose to sell that firearm planned to use it to attack a synagogue. Thankfully, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in New York became aware of the plot. Along with our law enforcement partners, we were able to disrupt their plans before they could do any harm, but the outcome could have been far worse. The punishment handed down today shows that there are serious consequences to arming others with dangerous weapons designed to kill.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “Individuals like Hakime who enable others to carry out hate-motivated attacks must face the consequences of their actions. NYPD investigators, closely partnering with our state and federal colleagues on the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, likely averted tragedy through their swift and diligent work on this case. Today’s sentencing serves as a reminder of our ongoing work to hold accountable anyone who threatens the safety and security of New Yorkers.”
According to the Indictment, documents previously filed in the case, and statements made in court:
In the early morning hours of November 18, 2022, Brown posted on Twitter that he intended to “shoot up a synagogue,” emphasizing, “This time I’m really gonna do it.” That afternoon, Brown and Mahrer contacted HAKIME, a resident of Manhattan who had been employed since 2014 by ACS as a Youth Developmental Specialist, to obtain a firearm. HAKIME, Brown and Mahrer traveled together in HAKIME’s vehicle from Manhattan to HAKIME’s home in Pennsylvania. During the trip to HAKIME’s residence, law enforcement contacted Brown by phone regarding his threatening online posts. Brown then deleted the threatening messages that he had posted on Twitter.
Shortly thereafter, HAKIME, Brown, and Mahrer arrived at HAKIME’s Pennsylvania home, where HAKIME retrieved for Brown and Mahrer a Generation 5 Glock 17 pistol (the “Firearm”) as well as 19 rounds of ammunition (the “Ammunition”). The Firearm had an extended magazine, which allowed it to hold up to 30 rounds of ammunition, and a weapon-mounted light and red dot optic device that allowed the user to have better aim at his target. HAKIME taught Mahrer and Brown how to use the Firearm and further instructed the men to wipe off the Firearm to remove HAKIME’s fingerprints. Brown and Mahrer paid HAKIME approximately $650 for the Firearm and Ammunition.
HAKIME then drove Brown and Mahrer back to Manhattan with the Firearm and Ammunition. Brown and Mahrer temporarily hid the Firearm and Ammunition in Mahrer’s bedroom at his family’s residence in Manhattan and then traveled together to Penn Station, where they were arrested by law enforcement. HAKIME remained in phone contact with Mahrer until minutes before Brown’s and Mahrer’s arrests. At the time of those arrests, law enforcement recovered from a bag that Brown was carrying a large hunting knife and a Swastika arm band. Law enforcement also recovered from Mahrer’s apartment a backpack containing the Firearm and Ammunition, as depicted below:
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In addition to his prison term, HAKIME, 59, of New York, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI New York Field Office, including the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies, and the FBI’s Civil Rights Squad.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit and Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner and Mitzi S. Steiner are in charge of the prosecution.