A federal court in Philadelphia has sentenced Donbon Farish, a 29-year-old Mississippi resident, to two years in prison followed by three years of probation for orchestrating an antisemitic harassment campaign targeting synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses in Pennsylvania.
According to the June 2023 indictment, Farish conducted a series of threatening phone calls to Jewish institutions across Pennsylvania's Eastern District, employing VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology to conceal his identity.
In his communications with Jewish institution representatives, Farish repeatedly invoked the Holocaust, while shouting various antisemitic threats, including "Heil Hitler," "All Jews must die," "We will put you in labor camps," "Destroy the Jews," and "Hitler should have finished the job."
"The antisemitic harassment and threats perpetrated by Farish spread terror among his victims, whose sense of security was fundamentally shaken by fears of potential escalation and physical violence," Federal Prosecutor Jacqueline Romero stated. "Every individual, regardless of their faith or background, has the right to feel secure in their community."
FBI Philadelphia Office Director Wayne Jacobs emphasized: "No member of our community should have to live in fear, regardless of where they work, reside, or practice their religion. This sentence demonstrates that the FBI and our partners at the Federal Prosecutor's Office will not tolerate heinous threats designed to undermine community security."
As part of a plea agreement reached in June, Farish admitted guilt to charges of internet harassment and five counts of misuse and harassment through communication devices. He also acknowledged selecting his victims based on their religious identity.
