BOSTON – In a shocking display of hate-filled violence, 60-year-old John Reardon of Millis, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 26 months in prison for threatening to kill members of the Jewish community and bomb synagogues.
Reardon, who was arrested in January 2024 for calling and threatening two synagogues in Massachusetts and their congregates – the Agudas Achim Synagogue in Attleboro, Mass. and the Congregation Etz Chaim in Sharon, Mass. – pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force in relation to an Attleboro synagogue; one count of transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure a person in relation to a Sharon synagogue; and one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce in relation to the Israeli Consulate in Boston.
Reardon’s threats to the synagogues included threats to bomb Jewish houses of worship, as well as threats to kill all Jewish people and stomp Jewish babies dead into the ground, among other violent and antisemitic statements. Reardon also stated, “Time to prepare the furnaces again. I hope that you people are wiped off the face of the earth.”
Following his arrest, law enforcement learned that, between Oct. 7, 2023 and Jan. 29, 2024, Reardon called the Israeli Consulate in Boston 98 times and made harassing and intimidating statements. Specifically, in his phone calls to the Israeli Consulate, Reardon made a number of antisemitic comments laced with expletives that included: “You are maggots, you are scum, you are below animals, you Israelis”; “You f*****g k***s. You stupid mother f*****g killing kids….F**k you Jewland”; and “Death to Israel, wipe the Jews.”
Reardon was initially released on conditions despite the government’s objections and motion to detain him pending sentencing. However, he allegedly violated the conditions of his pre-sentence release on February 5, 2025 and February 12, 2025, calling and threatening to harm an employee of RightSpace Self Storage in Upton, Mass. Reardon allegedly told the employee he was going to “f**k him up” and threatened to blow up the facility. State charges for these alleged crimes remain pending.
Reardon was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 26 months prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay $1,260 in restitution to the victims.
“Our office will aggressively prosecute anyone who seeks to terrorize our religious communities. All Americans have the right to worship freely and without fear – it is a founding principle of our nation. Jewish people, in particular, have been targeted and persecuted for centuries, and in recent years we have seen a deeply troubling rise in antisemitic threats and violence. Let me be clear: we will not tolerate such conduct – not against the Jewish community, nor against any faith community. Such vile, hate-driven acts will be met with serious and swift consequences, and we will use every tool we have to hold offenders accountable,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley.
Reardon’s case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of hate speech and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. The FBI, in conjunction with local law enforcement, worked tirelessly to bring Reardon to justice, and their efforts are a testament to their commitment to protecting the community.
The investigation was assisted by the Attleboro, Upton, and Wrentham Police Departments; Massachusetts State Police; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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