New York man who threatened to ‘shoot up synagogue’ sentenced to 10 years in prison

NEW YORK — A New York man who threatened on social media to “shoot up a synagogue” has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing a firearm as part of a planned terrorist attack.

Christopher Brown, of Aquebogue on Long Island, was arrested at Manhattan’s Penn Station in November 2022 after authorities were alerted to a series of threatening Twitter posts he made, including: “Gonna ask the priest if I should be a husband or shoot up the synagogue.” and die.”

Police said Brown had a large military-style knife, a ski mask and a swastika patch on his arm when he was arrested at the train station along with another man, Matthew Marer.

A bag containing a Glock pistol with a high-capacity magazine and 17 rounds of ammunition was later recovered from Marer’s home, police said.

According to the criminal complaint filed against him, Brown told police that he ran a white supremacist group on Twitter and Maher was one of his followers. “I have Nazi paraphernalia at home. I think it’s really cool,” Brown told police, according to the complaint.

Authorities said at the time that they viewed Brown as a serious threat in light of hate attacks such as the May 2022 shooting at a Buffalo supermarket.

Brown, 23, was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty in September to criminal possession of a weapon as a terrorism offense.

“Today, Christopher Brown was sentenced to significant time in prison for being armed with an illegal firearm as part of his plan to commit a terrorist attack against the Jewish community of Manhattan,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a press release.

Bragg said his office is using “every tool possible” to ensure the safety of New York’s Jews.

A message seeking comment was left Thursday with the Legal Aid Society, which represented Brown.

The case against Maher, who faces weapons charges but not terrorism charges, is still pending. Marer’s lawyer, Gilbert Bayonne, said only that his client pleaded not guilty.