Northridge Man Gets 3.5 Years for Hate-Fueled Threats

LOS ANGELES – Andre Morrow Lackner, 35, of Northridge, California, will spend the next 43 months in federal prison after admitting to a relentless 14-month campaign of terrorizing a victim with violent, antisemitic, and racist threats. Lackner was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer, bringing a measure of justice to a case steeped in hate.

The defendant pleaded guilty on January 29 to one count of stalking, and has been held in federal custody since December 2022. The case, investigated by the FBI, details a barrage of abusive text messages sent to the victim between June 2021 and October 2022. These weren’t idle words; they were explicit threats designed to instill fear and inflict emotional harm.

According to court documents, Lackner unleashed a torrent of antisemitic vitriol, including statements like, “Hitler was right about you people,” and the chilling declaration, “I want to see every single Jew exterminated from this earth.” He didn’t stop there, also spewing racist hatred towards Asian Americans, texting sentiments like, “We need to start more Asian hate” and “wipe [Asian people] off the planet too.” The sheer volume and venom of these messages placed the victim in reasonable fear for her life and the safety of her family.

“Hate and intolerance, including antisemitism, is both wrong and anti-American,” stated United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Our nation is one of inclusion, not exclusion, and through this case we send a strong message that we will not tolerate attempts to divide us.” Krysti Hawkins, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, echoed that sentiment, emphasizing, “Today’s sentence is evidence that there is zero tolerance for criminal activity rooted in hatred, and of the FBI’s commitment to holding accountable those who seek to threaten or harm innocent victims.”

This isn’t just about one man’s twisted beliefs; it’s a stark reminder of the rising tide of hate-fueled extremism in the United States. The Department of Justice is increasingly focused on prosecuting these cases as domestic terrorism, recognizing the potential for escalation from words to violence. Lackner’s sentence, while significant, is a single battle in a larger war against prejudice and bigotry.

Assistant United States Attorney Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section prosecuted this case, signaling the seriousness with which federal authorities are treating such threats. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and report on other cases of hate-motivated violence across the nation, holding perpetrators accountable and exposing the dark underbelly of extremism.