By Judie Jacobson

HARTFORD — On July 27, a federal grand jury in Bridgeport indicted a 50-year-old Stamford man on charges he made online threats against Jews and synagogues.

The indictment alleges that on three separate occasions Kendall J. Sullivan posted threatening antisemitic messages on the Internet forum Metalthrone.net

Among the threats made, Sullivan allegedly stated on May 29: “Israel, God and Synagogues. I will kill them. I have a few ‘Houses of Satan’ in my Town…If these Jews truly believe in their god Satan, I will upset their world. I will slaughter them and burn their Synagogue to the ground…kids, goldfish, old folks…Shove money down their throats. These Jews of 2016.  They think they are safe.”

June 10 Sullivan threatened another user with the following message: “I am going after YOU..Your Family, Wife, kids, Grandkids, Gold Fish . . . I am warning YOU, I will go after YOU. As I get older, I just don’t give a damn . . . I will meet you in Westport at the Carvel! And then I will shoot or run over you . . . it is not just YOU, but your fellow Satanists I want to track down and kill.. I will use YOU to find others…And Kill them . . . You are a [expletive] JEW! . . I want to kill you . . . If only that . . . Name a place . . . You are Satanic and must be destroyed. Wifes [sic], kids, Dogs, Cats, Goldfish . . . . All destroyed.”

Finally, on July 5 Sullivan allegedly wrote: “[I] Am prepared to shoot YOU on sight! And shove Money down your dead [expletives]…Hole. Humans who define their entire existence thru that price tag – They are not human beings but Demons and must be destroyed…

I am looking forward to my death thru Jesus Christ. I will be Free. I will be understood.

Afterall, I am a Warrior of Jesus Christ and want to be his Soldier.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Stamford Police Department executed a federal search warrant at Sullivan’s residence on July 15, seizing more than two dozen firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and additional firearm components. Sullivan was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of unregistered high capacity magazines.

Sending threatening communications in interstate or foreign commerce by phone, email, text, mobile messaging or other online communication is against federal law. The Stamford man faces five years in prison on each count if convicted.

“Threats of violence against any religious or ethnic group cannot be tolerated, and when threats are made in violation of federal law, our office stands ready to prosecute those who make them,” said U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly.  “I thank the FBI and Stamford Police Department for investigating this matter and helping to ensure the safety of our community.”

“We are confident that our efforts and the collaboration with all law enforcement partners may have averted a horrific hate crime from occurring,” said Patricia M. Ferrick, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In a statement released following Sullivan’s indictment last week, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) commended the work of the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office and Stamford Police Department.

“We are disturbed by the allegations, and commend our state and federal partners in law enforcement for taking these threats seriously and acting before an actual act of violence could be carried out,” said Steve Ginsburg, ADL Connecticut regional director, in the statement. “As Internet communications have become as much a part of daily life as face-to-face interactions today, it is particularly important to protect victims of threats online.

“This case is proof that you cannot hide behind your online profile when you threaten violence against a person or a group,” Ginsburg said. “As we continue to see an explosion of hate online, especially on social media, we will continue to expose and fight cyberhate by working with tech companies and local law enforcement to ensure that our communities are safe.”

ADL’s annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents recorded a total of 941 antisemitic incidents across the U.S. in 2015, an increase of about three percent from the 912 incidents recorded in 2014.