Muhammed Koc, Hate Crime and Obstruction of Justice, Pennsylvania 2024

A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has charged six residents of the greater Pittsburgh area with violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, obstructing justice, and conspiring to obstruct justice in relation to a September 2024 attack on a Jewish male in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

The seven-count Indictment named Muhammed Koc, 27, of Pittsburgh; Omar Alshmari, 28, of Monroeville; Abraham Choudhry, 22, of Monroeville; Emirhan Arslan, 24, of McKees Rocks; Ali Alkhaleel, 19, of Pittsburgh; and Adeel Piracha, 22, of Murrysville, as defendants.

“We will prosecute this alleged act of violent antisemitism to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This will always protect the First Amendment right to worship freely and without fear for Jewish Americans and all Americans of faith.”

As alleged in the Indictment, the incident began with two defendants physically attacking an individual because of the victim’s Jewish identity. Then, these defendants corruptly colluded with one another to provide false and misleading testimony before a federal grand jury tasked with investigating the assault. Obstruction is illegal and undermines the pursuit of justice; it will not be tolerated within our legal system, particularly when defendants testify falsely in an effort to protect individuals who commit hate crimes and acts of violence.

The Indictment charges Muhammed Koc and Omar Alshmari with violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, obstructing justice, and conspiring to obstruct justice. The charges include willfully causing bodily injury to the victim because of the individual’s actual and perceived race and religion.

According to the Indictment, on or about September 27, 2024, at 2:01 a.m., the defendants except for Adeel Piracha were all part of a group that made virulent antisemitic statements to a passerby in Oakland upon seeing the individual’s necklace bearing a Star of David pendant. Following a verbal confrontation, during which additional antisemitic comments were made, Koc and Alshmari physically attacked the victim, causing bodily injury that included physical pain, a split lip, and headaches.

Later that day, and throughout the following months, Piracha and the other defendants discussed the incident via social media messaging and group chats, during which Alshmari identified himself and Koc as two of the individuals listed in a University of Pittsburgh crime alert about the attack. In subsequent conversations by text messaging, both Alshmari and Koc admitted to being involved in the attack on the victim.

Antisemitism has no place in our country, according to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department will continue to investigate allegations of violence against people of faith and will work to ensure the safe exercise of religious practices—whether that be through wearing religious symbols or visiting houses of worship.

The FBI will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners to investigate and prosecute hate crimes and acts of violence, said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec. “Violence that targets someone because of their religious beliefs is unacceptable in American society,” he added. “Freedom of religion is a fundamental principle at the core of many communities across our nation.”

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant’s Real Full Name: Muhammed Koc, Omar Alshmari, Abraham Choudhry, Emirhan Arslan, Ali Alkhaleel, Adeel Piracha

Exact Criminal Charges: Violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, obstructing justice, and conspiring to obstruct justice

City and State: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Exact Date: September 27, 2024

Sentence or Outcome: Currently pending

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/pr/six-pittsburgh-area-defendants-charged-hate-crime-and-obstruction-justice-late-night