SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — The now-former Cornell University student who posted antisemitic threats against his classmates in October was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison after the judge declared it a “hate crime.”
Patrick Dai, who was 21 years old when he made the posts, appeared before a judge on Monday afternoon, August 12, in federal court.
Dai already admitted to posting threatening messages to the Cornell section of an online discussion site, including calling for the deaths of Jewish people and threats to “shoot up 104 west.”
The dining hall 104 West at Cornell University caters predominantly to Kosher diets and is located next to the Cornell Jewish Center, which provides residences for Cornell students, according to information from Cornell University Police and other public information.
In another post, detailed in court paperwork, Dai “threatened to ‘stab’ and ‘slit the throat’ of any Jewish males he sees on campus, ‘to rape and throw off a cliff’ any Jewish females, to ‘behead any Jewish babies’ and to ‘bring an assault rifle to campus and shoot all you pig jews.’”
Judge Brenda Sannes attempted to strike a balance in her decision, acknowledging the terror Dai’s posts instilled within the Jewish community of Cornell University while considering the role Dai’s mental health played in his behavior, including undiagnosed autism.
Judge Sannes ruled that his behavior caused significant disruption to campus and targeted people of a certain religion, elevating the range for how many years in prison would be appropriate.
The judge also sentenced Dai to three years of supervised release after his sentence is complete, which will include no contact with Cornell, mental heath treatment and restrictions and monitoring of his electronic devices and internet use.
Dai’s public defender, Lisa Peebles, was asking that his nearly 10 months in jail count as his total punishment. She plans to appeal the higher sentence.