Accused Individual from Plano Charged for Islamic-Slandering Messages, Threats Against Zohran Mamdani, Prosecutor Announces
In a shocking turn of events, a Plano man named Jeremy Fistel has been indicted on 22 counts of terrorist-related hate crime charges against New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. The indictment was announced on September 4 by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Fistel, a democratic socialist and a member of the state assembly since 2021, is running as a Democratic candidate for New York City mayor. If elected, Mamdani would be the city's first Muslim mayor and its first of Indian American descent.
The ordeal began when Mamdani's staff reported anti-Muslim messages and threats left on his voicemail to the police on June 18. The messages continued through July, with Fistel allegedly blocking his caller ID during the calls. However, investigators later determined that the messages came from Fistel's mobile phone.
One of the most disturbing voicemails, left on June 11, allegedly contained a threat to Mamdani to 'go back to Uganda' and explicit language and anti-Muslim remarks. Another voicemail a few days later reportedly had more explicit threats to Mamdani and his family, stating they 'deserve to die.' The message also reportedly contained a desire for an IDF bullet to go through Mamdani's skull.
The messages submitted through the website are connected to Fistel's email account, according to Katz. The indictment includes four counts of making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, four counts of making a terroristic threat, seven counts of aggravated harassment in the second degree as a hate crime, and seven counts of aggravated harassment in the second degree.
Fistel, who was arrested on September 11 in Texas and extradited to Queens on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to all 22 charges. The next court date for Mamdani is Nov. 19.
If convicted, Fistel could face up to 15 years in prison. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of respect and tolerance in public discourse.
