(NewsNation) — A Michigan man was sentenced Tuesday to 26 months in prison for conspiring with a white supremacist group to deface a Jewish synagogue and victimize Black and Jewish people.
Nathan Weeden, 24, vandalized Temple Jacob in Hancock, Michigan, with swastikas and symbols associated with The Base on Sept. 21, 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
He was convicted in January of “one count of conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate and one count of intentionally defacing, damaging or destroying religious property based on race or ethnic characteristics.”
“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 for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division.
Weeden was convicted of conspiring with other members, Richard Tobin of New Jersey and Yousef Barasneh of Wisconsin, who pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges related to the incident.
According to the DOJ, Weeden, Tobin and Barasneh used an encrypted messaging platform to plan vandalizing property associated with Black and Jewish Americans, including the Temple Jacob.
Weeden and his co-conspirators spray-painted the outside wall of the synagogue to carry out “Operation Kristallnacht,” which means “Night of Broken Glass.” Their plan was named in reference to events that took place in November 1938, when Nazis killed Jews and destroyed their homes, synagogues, businesses and schools, the DOJ said.
“White supremacist-fueled violence is a stain on our history and perpetrators of such violence will be held accountable,” Clarke added.