Man who official says has past mental health issues faces hate crime charges after disrupting service at Manhattan synagogue

Federal and State Hate Crime Charges Filed After Man Disrupts Shabbat Service at Manhattan’s Central Synagogue

Sandego.net – Law enforcement officials charged a 46-year-old Bronx resident with multiple federal and state hate crimes after he stormed into a Friday night Shabbat service at Central Synagogue in Manhattan, injuring a congregant and damaging property inside the historic Lower East Side congregation. Larry Montes was arraigned Saturday evening, where a judge set bail at $10,000 in cash plus $30,000 in bonds, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

The Department of Justice announced in a Tuesday news release that Montes faces two federal counts of committing hate crimes and one count of destruction of religious property resulting in bodily injury. Under federal sentencing guidelines, each hate crime count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, while the religious property count carries up to 20 years. Separately, state-level hate crime charges filed in Manhattan carry a potential sentence of five to 15 years if he is convicted on those counts.

What Happened Inside the Synagogue

A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told CNN that Montes slipped into the synagogue during the service and took a seat for approximately 10 minutes before standing and moving toward an area not open to the public. Security officers moved to question him at that point. According to the official, Montes then began chopping at two candles with his bare hands — each valued at roughly $10,000 — before attempting to push his way toward the rabbi’s position.

As security personnel escorted him toward an exit, Montes struck a 63-year-old woman, causing a small cut to her lip and injuries to her right forearm, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed. He also spat at and headbutted a member of the synagogue’s security team while being led out of the building, Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a post on X. The official added that Montes yelled a racial slur at the guard during the altercation.

The synagogue’s own livestream, obtained by CNN affiliate WCBS, captured congregants scrambling as shouts of panic erupted through the sanctuary. A security guard is visible restraining the man as he barrels down the aisle.

“He was screaming and yelling. I heard a loud pop … We thought it was a gun,” Susan Roane, who was present at the service, told WCBS.

“He was just ranting and raving and yelling,” congregant Arlynn Greenbaum recalled. “He was very full of hate.”

Greenbaum added that she saw the suspect was not armed but still moved to take cover.

Background and Prior Record

The same law enforcement official noted that Montes carries several sealed arrests on record, some of which involved robberies, along with a documented history of mental health issues. Investigators said they have found no evidence that he was specifically targeting any individual inside the synagogue before the disruption began.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office stated it has requested full temporary orders of protection for the victims involved in the incident.

FBI and City Response

James Barnacle Jr., assistant director of the FBI’s New York field office, issued a statement condemning the incident.

“Larry Montes’ targeted acts of we violence on a congregant, security guard, and synagogue during a Shabbat service are deeply disturbing. The FBI condemns any incident driven by bias or hate, and we commend the swift actions of the security personnel and first responders. Hate crimes have no place in New York, and we remain steadfast in protecting every community.”

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has maintained a tense public relationship with segments of the city’s Jewish community over his pointed criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, moved quickly to condemn the attack on social media Friday night.

“This despicable act has no place in our city, and our administration will do everything in our power to keep Jewish New Yorkers safe,” Mamdani wrote on X. “I am grateful to Central Synagogue’s security team for swiftly stepping in to prevent more violence, and to the NYPD sergeant who apprehended him and took him into custody. Our administration will always stand against bigotry in all its forms.”

Mamdani added that New Yorkers must be free to observe their religion without fear of violence.

A Rising Tide of Antisemitic Violence

The precise motivation behind Friday’s disruption remains unclear, but the incident lands amid a documented surge in antisemitic assaults across the United States. According to a report published by the Anti-Defamation League, the country recorded a historic high number of such attacks last year, including its first fatality from an antisemitic incident since 2022. New York City, home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the world, has seen its share of synagogue-related threats and disruptions in recent years, prompting many congregations to expand on-site security staffing.

Central Synagogue, founded in 1892 and located on East 52nd Street near Fifth Avenue, has served Manhattan’s Jewish community for more than a century. Its Shabbat services draw hundreds of worshippers each week, and the synagogue has in prior years installed additional security measures following a series of nationwide antisemitic incidents. The two candles Montes struck during the altercation were part of the sanctuary’s permanent fixture, each appraised at approximately $10,000, meaning the property damage alone represents a significant financial loss for the congregation.

Montes is expected to return to court for further proceedings on both the federal and state charges. His attorneys have not yet issued a public statement.