Dan Sohail, 36, of New Jersey, pleaded guilty yesterday (Wednesday) in federal court in Brooklyn to intentionally damaging the world headquarters of Chabad-770 in the Crown Heights neighborhood.
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Suhail crashed his vehicle several times into one of the entrances to the Great Seminary, and is facing a sentence of up to three years in prison, along with monetary compensation.
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Sohail was convicted of the offense of damaging religious property.
The event took place on January 28, 2025, in the evening, while a gathering was held at the Lubavitcher Hasidic World Center to mark the anniversary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
According to the indictment, Sohail first got out of his vehicle, moved security barriers placed outside the building, and signaled for worshipers to move away.
He then returned to the car and began to crash violently into the side entrance of the building.
The prosecution claims that he backed up and accelerated toward the door four more times, until he managed to dislodge it.
The Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights said: "The defendant's dangerous behavior was a targeted attack on religious freedom and the right of citizens to worship in peace and security.".
According to her, "the conviction sends a clear message that the Ministry of Justice has no tolerance for acts of hatred and violence against religious institutions.".
The federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of New York added: "The defendant admitted to intentionally damaging the world headquarters of Chabad, a Jewish institution of global importance, through repeated collisions at the entrance to the building.".
