A Man Attacked People at a Synagogue. Now He Faces Federal Hate Crime Charges.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have charged Larry Montes, a 46-year-old Bronx resident, with hate crimes after an attack on a woman and a security guard during a Jewish religious service at Central Synagogue on August 14. Manhattan US attorney Jamie McDonald announced the charges on August 18. Montes was already facing similar charges from New York State when the federal charges were filed.
The incident began shortly after 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 14, during Shabbat services at Central Synagogue, a well-known Jewish congregation on Manhattan's East Side. Shabbat is the weekly Jewish day of rest, and the service had just started. According to the criminal complaint, Montes stood up about nine minutes in and shouted, "You know who the fuck I am!" He then walked up to the bimah — the raised platform at the front of the synagogue — and knocked over two silver candlesticks with gold decoration. Both were bent and partly damaged. The whole scene was visible on the synagogue's livestream.
When security staff tried to remove Montes, he hit a 63-year-old woman, cutting her lip and injuring her forearm. He spat at and head-butted a Black member of the security team and damaged synagogue property. An NYPD sergeant stationed at the synagogue stepped in and arrested Montes. Police commissioner Jessica Tisch publicly thanked the sergeant. Montes appeared before a judge in the following days.
The criminal complaint says Montes made several statements during the incident and after his arrest. He told the synagogue's head of security, "fuck you people" and "I don't fuck with you people." He allegedly used a racial slur against the Black security team member he head-butted. In a post-arrest interview, Montes told police he felt disrespected during the service and "got up, start[ed] some shit, [and] smacked somebody around." He also allegedly said, "fuck the Jews … it's racial" and "I will never affiliate with no filthy fucking synagogues, either here or in fucking Israel." He told police his actions were "all a racial thing" and "all religious motivated," and said, "I have racial issues."
NBC News reported on August 16 that hate crime charges had already been filed against Montes at the state level. Now federal prosecutors have filed their own charges under a law called the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. That law requires prosecutors to prove the attacker targeted the victims specifically because of their religion or race. Montes's own statements, as described in the complaint, seem to be what prosecutors plan to use to prove that.
The broader context here is why someone can face charges from both the state and the federal government for the same act. In the United States, state and federal courts are separate systems. When a crime is motivated by bias against a religion or race, both systems can bring charges. The state case usually goes first. The federal charges act as a backup — if the state case stalls or the outcome seems too lenient, the federal case can still move forward. It is like having two safety nets instead of one.
This approach also reflects how seriously attacks on religious institutions are taken, especially in New York City, where the NYPD keeps officers stationed at major synagogues. The sergeant at Central Synagogue was there precisely for situations like this. And because the assault was broadcast on the synagogue's livestream, prosecutors have clear video evidence, which could matter a lot if the case goes to trial.
