A Texas man was charged with 22 counts, half of which are classified as hate crimes, for sending death threats to New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the indictment of Jeremy Fistel, a 44-year-old resident of Plano, Texas, on Thursday. He was arrested in the Lone Star State last week and extradited to New York this week. He then appeared in court for his arraignment.
Fistel was accused of sending threatening voicemails and written messages to Mamdani starting in June and continuing through July. Mamdani won the Democratic primary in late June.
In his messages, Fistel allegedly targeted Mamdani’s race and Islamic faith and threatened to blow up his car. Mamdani said he does not have a car.
“Go start your car and see what happens. I’d keep an eye on your house and family. Watch your f***ing back every f***ing second until you get the f*** out of America. Nobody wants your terrorist ways here. And check your beeper, too, you terrorist f***,” Fistel allegedly told Mamdani, referencing the Israeli military operation in which Hezbollah’s pagers were remotely detonated. “Beep-beep.”
In another message, he wished that Mamdani would be raped and murdered.
Katz denounced the defendant’s comments.
“The defendant told the assemblyman to go back to Uganda before someone shoots him in the head, to keep an eye on his house and family, to watch his back every second until he leaves America, and that he and his relatives deserve to die,” she said in a statement. “There is no room for hate or bigotry in our political discourse.”
The charges against Fistel include four counts of making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, four counts of making a terroristic threat, seven counts of second-degree aggravated harassment as a hate crime, and seven counts of second-degree aggravated harassment.
If convicted of the most serious charge, Fistel faces up to 15 years in prison. The judge ordered Fistel to return to court for his next appearance on Nov. 19. The defendant was released after he posted $30,000 bail.
Mamdani’s campaign thanked the district attorney for taking the threats seriously.
“We cannot and will not be intimidated by racism, Islamophobia, and hate,” the campaign said. “Zohran remains steadfast in his conviction that New York must be a city where every single person — regardless of faith, background, or identity — is safe, protected, and at home.”
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Mamdani has received a full police security detail, New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed on Thursday after Fistel’s indictment dropped. The incumbent pointed out the irony of the self-described socialist getting tighter security after criticizing the city’s police force.
“It just goes to show that these officers carry out their job,” Adams said, “no matter who the person is.”