MIAMI, FL – A Margate man’s chilling obsession with violence against Jewish and Black Americans culminated in a 25-year federal prison sentence. John Kevin Lapinski, Jr., 41, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith for a string of firearm offenses and a disturbing pattern of planning attacks based on racial and religious hatred.
Lapinski previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, possession of a firearm while under a court order, possession of an unregistered silencer, and possession of body armor as a violent felon. The case began to unravel on October 31, 2024, when Margate Police responded to reports of shots fired in a residential neighborhood. They quickly identified Lapinski as the shooter – a man already legally prohibited from owning firearms.
What officers found inside Lapinski’s residence was far more than a simple shooting. A target used for practice was riddled with bullet holes aimed at a depiction of a Black male. A subsequent search revealed a full-blown arsenal: five firearms, over 3,000 rounds of ammunition, various firearm parts and accessories, two silencers, body armor, smoke grenades, a Ghillie suit, and a wealth of tactical gear. But the weapons weren’t the most disturbing part of the discovery.
Investigators uncovered maps of local schools, parks, and community centers, defaced with racial slurs targeting Black and Jewish people. A handwritten “target list” detailed “groups to attack” based on race and religion, specifically naming a Jewish member of Congress, local synagogues, Jewish-owned businesses, and other ethnically and religiously identified sites. Further investigation linked Lapinski to an August 2024 shooting where the home and vehicle of a Jewish resident were deliberately targeted and riddled with bullets.
“This defendant stockpiled weapons, tactical gear, and detailed attack plans to terrorize Jewish and Black Americans in our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “His intent was not abstract—it was written on his maps, his targets, and his so-called hit list. Thanks to the swift work of our law enforcement partners, his plan never became reality. Instead of carrying out acts of racist violence, he will spend the next quarter-century behind bars. Let this sentence serve as a warning: hate-fueled violence will be met with decisive federal prosecution. We will disrupt your plans, seize your weapons, and ensure you never endanger the people of this District again.”
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the ATF, FBI, and Margate Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton led the prosecution. The 300-month sentence sends a clear message: plotting and preparing for racially motivated violence carries severe consequences. Court documents related to the case can be found at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60224. More information is available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida website at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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