More Federal Charges For Man Accused In Hanukkah Machete Attack

A federal grand jury has handed up an indictment against Grafton Thomas, the Orange County man accused of breaking into a rabbi's home in Rockland County and attacking Hanukkah celebrants with a machete that includes additional counts.

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Thomas is charged with five counts of willfully causing bodily injury to five victims because of the victims’ religion and five counts of obstructing the free exercise of religion in an attempt to kill.

"On December 28, 2019, Grafton Thomas allegedly came armed with an 18-inch machete and entered a rabbi’s home, where dozens had gathered for the holiday," Berman said in announcing the indictment. "We now allege that he did this with the intention of targeting his victims because of their religion. As alleged, with his face concealed beneath a scarf, he slashed and stabbed the assembled congregants, fled, and left at least five victims in his wake. Thomas faces life in prison for his alleged violent acts of prejudice and intolerance."

Prosecutors allege that on Dec. 28, Thomas entered Rabbi Chaim Lieb Rottenberg's home in Monsey, New York, which is next door to the rabbi’s synagogue, during observances related to the end of Shabbat and the seventh night of Hanukkah. Thomas reportedly declared to dozens of assembled congregants, “no one is leaving,” and attacked the group with an 18-inch machete. At least five victims were hospitalized with serious injuries, including slash wounds, deep lacerations, a severed finger, and a skull fracture.

One of the victims of the machete attack is a grandfather in a coma at Westchester Medical Center.

"One of the injured, a senior congregant, remains in extremely critical condition; he needs our prayer," Rabbi Rottenburg told the audience Wednesday when he gave a blessing before Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address in Albany.

Prosecutors said that following the attack, Thomas traveled in a car to New York City, and he was stopped in Harlem by members of the New York City Police Department. The responding officers observed what appeared to be blood on his hands and clothing, and smelled bleach coming from his vehicle. A search of the vehicle led to the seizure of, among other things, a machete that appeared to have traces of dried blood on it.

Prosecutors said Thomas's cellphone contained Internet searches dating back to at least November 2019 for terms such as “Zionist Temples” in Staten Island and New Jersey, “why did Hitler hate the Jews,” and “prominent companies founded by Jews in America." They also cited a webpage visit on the day of the attack to an article titled, “New York Increases Police Presence in Jewish Neighborhoods After Anti-Semitic Attacks. Here’s What to Know."

Thomas, 37, is charged with five counts of willfully causing bodily injury to, and attempting to kill, five victims because of their religion in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 249, and five counts of obstructing the free exercise of religion in an attempt to kill, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 247. Each of the 10 counts carries a maximum prison term of life. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said, "When an individual’s actions cross the threshold of a federal crime, as we allege Mr. Thomas did here, we will act swiftly. The message from today’s indictment should be crystal clear – the FBI won’t tolerate violence against anyone. Working with our partners, we will hold anyone who allegedly commits a crime like this accountable for their actions. The federal penalties for this type of attack are severe and justified. In this instance, the local community was engaged, and their actions were essential to saving lives and led directly to Mr. Thomas’s capture. It’s the rest of our community’s joint responsibility to step up and engage as well – don’t give hate a platform to propagate and don’t dismiss this type of behavior as someone else’s problem, address it and immediately report suspicious activity to authorities."

Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, the Ramapo Police Department, the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Clarkstown Police Department, and the New York City Police Department, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.

SEE ALSO:

• Monsey Rabbi Recalls Attack, Gives Blessing At Cuomo's Address
• $5 Million Bail For Man Accused In Hanukkah Stabbings
• Family: Hanukkah Stabbing Suspect Had Mental Illness History
• Rockland Attack Latest In Region's Series of Hate Crimes
• Feds: Man Accused In Hanukkah Stabbing Had Anti-Semitic Materials
• In Wake Of Monsey Attack, U.S. Senators Offer Support
• Heroic Hanukkah Celebrant Honored: Lowey
• Hudson Valley Attack Horrifies Local, State, National Officials