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Jacksonville Mosque Attack Plotter Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison
A Jacksonville man has been sentenced to 5 years in prison for planning a mass shooting at a local mosque. Bernandino G. Bolatete, 69, was found guilty by a federal jury in May 2018 of possession of an unregistered firearms silencer.
According to court documents, Bolatete came to the attention of law enforcement when a confidential source reported that he had a plan to conduct a mass shooting at a local mosque if he learned that his only kidney had failed and he would have to undergo dialysis.
Bolatete was introduced to an undercover detective, with whom he shared his plan to attack the mosque. The investigation revealed that Bolatete had a collection of firearms and was nearly always armed. He also suggested that he had visited the mosque in the past and shared which of his firearms he would use for the attack.
Bolatete repeatedly bragged about having shot someone with a silencer-equipped firearm and advised the undercover detective on the best ways to put a hit on an adversary. When the undercover detective told Bolatete that he had a source with access to silencers, Bolatete asked to buy one and insisted that it not be registered with the government.
Bolatete was arrested on December 1, 2017, after the undercover detective sold him an unregistered silencer for $100. After his arrest, Bolatete admitted that he had possessed the unregistered silencer but claimed that he had purchased it for hunting.
The FBI, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Michael J. Coolican.
“The FBI will not stand for threats of violence in our community against any group,” said Charles P. Spencer, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “We will work to uphold the civil rights and liberties outlined in the U.S. Constitution for all Americans, including the right to practice religion in peace.”
Bolatete’s sentence is a reminder of the importance of vigilant community members reporting suspicious activity and the dedication of law enforcement agencies to keeping our communities safe.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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