Massachusetts man accused of constructing antisemitic threats arrested after Nazi flag, ghost gun present in dwelling

A Massachusetts man accused of constructing violent antisemitic threats was arrested on Saturday and is dealing with unlawful gun possession expenses after a ghost gun and a Nazi flag had been recovered by authorities throughout a sweep of his dwelling.

Matthew Scouras, a 34-year-old residing in Beverly, Mass., allegedly threatened to rape Jewish girls and motivated others to shoot anybody seen exterior synagogues on a web-based message board, based on investigators.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations notified native authorities on Thursday that somebody of their province was posting the menacing threats on-line, the Beverly Police Division mentioned.

Police searched Scouras’ dwelling and recovered a Nazi flag, a 9mm Glock “ghost gun” with out a serial quantity, three large-capacity journal rifles, a jig used to drill holes in polymer pistol handles, scopes, rifle shares, and different gun components, together with 11 decrease receivers for rifles, based on the native division.

Officers additionally discovered over $70,000 in money, a cellphone, and two desktop computer systems.

The Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations praised native regulation enforcement for taking down the alleged Nazi supporter.

“We welcome the arrest of this suspect, thank regulation enforcement authorities for his or her motion within the case and stand in solidarity with the Jewish group and all different communities of religion focused by hatred and violence,” CAIR-MA Govt Director Tahirah Amatul-Wadud wrote in a assertion.

Scouras is presently being held by the Beverly Police Division and can bear a psychological well being screening.

The fees levied in opposition to him embrace 12 counts of unlicensed firearm possession coupled with single counts of threats to destroy a spot of worship, willful communication of a risk with a harmful merchandise, making of a firearm with out a serial quantity, possession of a big capability feeding gadget, unlawful possession of ammunition and improper storage of a firearm.

Scouras was arraigned Monday and held with out bail, police mentioned. He’s set to seem in court docket for a detention listening to on Jan. 13.