North Carolina Man Charged with Mailing Antisemitic Threat Targeting Middle Georgia Rabbi

MACON, Ga. - A North Carolina man is in custody and federally charged with allegedly mailing an antisemitic threat to a Middle Georgia Rabbi.

Ariel E. Collazo Ramos, 31, of High Point, North Carolina, is charged with one count of mailing threatening communications. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on April 9 and was unsealed on May 2. Collazo Ramos was taken into custody at his High Point residence today; his initial appearance will occur in the Middle District of North Carolina at a time determined by the Court.

According to the indictment, Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar of Temple Beth Israel in Macon received a threatening postcard at her home via the U.S. Postal Service on Feb. 1, 2024, allegedly from Collazo Ramos. On one side of the postcard, there was a handwritten message: "Is there a child rape, torture, and murder tunnel under your house? We have the Zyklon B. Use Code "GASTHEJEWS" for 10% off!" The reverse side of the postcard displayed a hand-drawn image depicting a purported Jewish male wearing a rat costume and the words "JEWS ARE RATS."

If convicted, Collazo Ramos faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case is being investigated by FBI.

Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government with assistance from Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division's Criminal Section.

An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.

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