Man pleads guilty to bomb threats against mosque
A South Florida man is guilty of a federal hate crime for phoning in several bomb threats to a mosque in Pembroke Pines, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami.
Dustin Allen Hughes, 26, of Cutler Bay, pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to one count of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs through the threatened use of a dangerous weapon and explosive, prosecutors said in a statement.
A federal grand jury indicted Hughes May
24 after he left four curse-filled voicemails, between May 2 and May 5, threatening to detonate a bomb at the Jamaat Ul Muttaqeen Mosque, according to court documents.
The calls were transcribed in the criminal complaint.
“l am so fed up with you Muslims coming here causing mayhem to Americans, so I am gonna give you a taste of what you give to us,” one voicemail said. “I am going to cause you guys to be screaming Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah.”
Each of the voicemails
“I am so fed up with you Muslims coming here causing mayhem to Americans, so I am gonna give you a taste of what you give to us.” Voicemail left at mosque
threatened Muslims, said a bomb was planted in the building, and that its detonation was imminent, documents showed.
A thorough sweep was conducted inside and outside the mosque, in the1000 block of Southwest 196th Avenue, but no explosives were found, police said.
“Freedom of religion is a fundamental right for every American,” said Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Miami. “The FBI and its partners will work tirelessly to ensure anyone who threatens those rights is held accountable.”
Hughes faces up to 20 years in prison at his sentencing scheduled for Sept. 6.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. wkroustan@sunsentinel.com, 954-356-4303 or Twitter@WayneRoustan