Yousef O. Barasneh, a 22-year-old from Oak Creek, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty on August 12, 2020, to conspiring to violate the civil rights of worshippers at the Beth Israel Sinai Congregation in Racine. Barasneh admitted to spray-painting anti-Semitic slurs, a swastika, and the symbol of his extremist group on the synagogue’s walls in a premeditated act of racial and religious terror.
Court documents reveal Barasneh was an active member of “The Base,” a neo-Nazi white supremacist organization operating online. Between September 13 and September 21, 2019, he participated in encrypted chat groups where members plotted to intimidate and threaten African Americans and Jewish Americans—whom they labeled enemies of the white race. The chats laid bare a coordinated campaign of hate, with Barasneh volunteering to carry out attacks in Wisconsin.
On the evening of September 21, 2019, Barasneh followed through. He arrived at the Racine synagogue under cover of darkness and defaced the building with hate symbols and messages designed to instill fear. His markings included the signature swastika and the insignia of “The Base,” broadcasting allegiance to a violent, racist ideology that seeks to destabilize multicultural communities.
“Violence and intimidation motivated by white supremacist ideology are abhorrent and have no place in this country,” said United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting such civil rights violations aggressively.” The statement underscores federal resolve to treat domestic terrorism and hate crimes as top-tier threats.
Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper scheduled sentencing for November 23, 2020. Barasneh now faces up to ten years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges were brought under 18 U.S.C. § 241, which criminalizes conspiracies to deprive individuals of their constitutional rights through threats or intimidation.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Eastern District of Wisconsin’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Proctor and Adam Ptashkin. Authorities say the swift takedown sends a clear message: hate-fueled acts of vandalism are not petty crimes—they are federal offenses with severe consequences.
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Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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