The two men who were allegedly planning an attack on New York City synagogues last month have been indicted on a slew of charges, prosecutors said.
Christopher Brown, 21, and Matthew Mahrer, 22, are each charged with conspiracy, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a firearm, authorities said. Brown is also charged with making a terroristic threat, making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, and criminal possession of a weapon as a crime of terrorism, officials said.
The defendants allegedly had a firearm, a high-capacity magazine, ammunition, an 8-inch long military-style knife, a swastika arm patch, a ski mask, and a bulletproof vest when they were arrested at Penn Station on Nov. 18, officials said.
MTA officers were near 34th Street and Seventh Avenue when they spotted the suspects walking into Penn Station and going down the escalator. The men were arrested without incident.
Brown allegedly posted several threatening tweets, including, “Gonna ask a Priest if I should become a husband or shoot up a synagogue and die,” and ‘This time I’m really gonna do it,” prosecutors said.
Brown is also accused of paying Mahrer $650 to get a gun in Pennsylvania, which was recovered in a backpack in Mahrer’s apartment, authorities said.
