James Gonzalo Medina pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime and a charge of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction after attempting to attack a synagogue in Aventura, Florida.
Medina admitted during the plea proceeding to planning an attack on the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center in March and April 2016. He took steps to prepare for the attack, which included conducting surveillance of the synagogue.
On April 29, 2016, Media obtained what he believe to be an explosive device from a Southern Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force Agent. He then approached the synagogue with the device intending to commit the attack.
“Acts of bigotry and hatred are evil and have no place in our society,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “One of the top priorities of this Department of Justice is reducing violent crime, and you can be sure that this includes hate crime. We will not tolerate this repugnant lawlessness, and we will be vigilant in prosecuting hate crime offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Southern Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Anton and Michael Thakur of the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting it with the assistance of the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Counsel Steve Curran and National Security Division’s Trial Attorney Taryn Meeks.
“I want to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Southern Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force, and all of the Department of Justice attorneys and staff who worked to bring this criminal to justice, and I assure every American that the Department of Justice is committed to protecting their rights,” Sessions said.
A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.