Six Defendants Charged in Antisemitic Attack on Jewish Male, Pittsburgh PA, 2024

A brutal late-night attack on a Jewish male in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh has landed six defendants in hot water with the law.

According to the Department of Justice’s U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, 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 the September 2024 attack.

The charges were unsealed on March 29, 2024, with defendant Alexis J. D’Angelo, 24, of Pittsburgh, charged with one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, one count of obstructing justice, and one count of conspiring to obstruct justice. Defendant Michael W. Kuzma, 28, of Pittsburgh, faces the same charges. Defendant Justin T. Wiegman, 20, of Mt. Lebanon, is charged with one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and one count of obstructing justice. Defendant Matthew J. Zborowski, 24, of Mt. Washington, is charged with one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and one count of conspiring to obstruct justice. Defendant Anthony J. Ferrante, 25, of South Side, is charged with one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Defendant Michael A. Fazio, 27, of Dormont, is charged with one count of obstructing justice.

The charges stem from an attack on a Jewish male in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh on September 15, 2024. The victim suffered serious injuries in the assault.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania said, ‘The alleged actions of these defendants demonstrate a blatant disregard for the rights and dignity of the victim and are in direct contravention of federal law.’

The defendants are expected to appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Pittsburgh for their initial appearances. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, up to 20 years in prison for obstruction of justice, and up to five years in prison for conspiring to obstruct justice.