Adam Edward Braun, Hate Crimes, Oregon 2023

Grimy Times has obtained exclusive details on a disturbing hate crime case in Eugene, Oregon. Adam Edward Braun, a 34-year-old resident of Eugene, pleaded guilty to three federal hate crimes for intentionally defacing a synagogue in the city.

According to court documents, Braun targeted Temple Beth Israel, a Jewish synagogue in Eugene, with graffiti on two separate occasions. Between Sept. 10 and 11, 2023, Braun spray-painted the numbers “1377” on the exterior of the synagogue building. Braun admitted that he selected the numbers “1377” because it was similar to “1488,” a popular white-supremacist slogan that references Adolf Hitler and the “Fourteen words.”

Months later, in January, Braun attempted to damage the synagogue’s glass doors using a ball-peen hammer. Braun stopped when he saw he was being recorded by a surveillance camera and went to another area of the property where he spray-painted the slogan “WHITE POWER” in large letters.

The FBI Portland Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. Braun faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each of the three charges, as well as fines and restitution.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Natalie K. Wight for the District of Oregon, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas Olson of the FBI Portland Field Office made the announcement.

Braun is currently awaiting sentencing. The exact date of his sentencing has not been disclosed. However, based on the maximum penalties, it is likely that Braun will face a significant prison term for his crimes.

Adam Edward Braun, whose full name is a stark reminder of the hate that plagues our society, is a danger to the community. His actions demonstrate a clear intent to incite fear and hatred towards a particular group of people. The Grimy Times stands in solidarity with the Jewish community and condemns Braun’s actions in the strongest possible terms.

This case highlights the importance of vigilant law enforcement and the need for communities to come together to prevent hate crimes. The FBI, the Eugene Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon deserve credit for their tireless efforts to bring Braun to justice.

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