MA Man Calls Synagogue, Threatens To Kill Jewish Community: Officials

ATTLEBORO, MA — A Millis, Massachusetts man was arrested Monday after being accused of calling an Attleboro synagogue and leaving a voicemail threatening to kill Jewish people and bomb places of worship, officials said.

John Reardon, 59, "is accused of using his words as a weapon, leaving a threatening message to frighten members of the Congregation Agudas Achim" on Jan. 25, Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston division, said in a news release Monday.

According to charging documents, that voicemail included statements asserting that "it is time to end Israel and all the Jews."

"You do realize that by supporting genocide that means it’s ok for people to commit genocide against you," the voicemail said, in part, according to officials. "With supporting the killing of innocent little children, that means it’s OK to kill your children."

Within 10 minutes of leaving the voicemail at the Congregation Agudas Achim, Reardon called another local synagogue as well as a local Jewish-affiliated organization, officials said.

Reardon was charged by criminal complaint with one count of using a facility of interstate commerce to threaten a person or place with harm via an explosive, according to officials.

The charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, officials said.

Reardon will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston Monday afternoon.