A suspect in racist death threats against New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani was arrested in Plano, Texas, and returned to New York for an arraignment in Queens on hate-crime and terroristic-threat charges, authorities said Thursday.
Jeremy Fistel, 44, was taken into custody in Plano last week by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force with help from the U.S. Marshals Service’s regional fugitive task force and was arraigned in Queens court on Thursday on charges of making terroristic threats, two counts of aggravated harassment as a hate crime, and harassment based on race or religion, according to prosecutors and law enforcement sources.
Prosecutors say the threats were left at Mamdani’s Queens state assembly office in June from an untraceable number, including messages that warned Mamdani to leave the country and threatened harm to him and his family. The messages, which police described as violent and racially charged, were part of an ongoing pattern that Mamdani’s campaign said included multiple voicemails dating back to March. A staffer at Mamdani’s office reported one of the messages to police, triggering the investigation.
Mamdani, a Muslim U.S. citizen born in Uganda, has been a vocal advocate on issues affecting immigrant communities and has received multiple threats aimed at his faith and ethnicity. A campaign spokesperson said Mamdani does not own a car and that the campaign is taking every precaution to ensure his safety while continuing the campaign activities.
Officials with the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force led the inquiry, working in coordination with the U.S. Marshals Service’s regional fugitive task force to locate and return Fistel to New York for the arraignment. The case underscores a broader law-enforcement focus on hateful conduct targeting political candidates and public officials, particularly incidents framed as threats to individuals based on race or religion.
No additional charges were announced immediately, and prosecutors did not disclose whether Fistel would face further court proceedings or potential bail conditions at this time. The investigation remains active as authorities review additional evidence and communications related to the case.
The Mamdani campaign and local officials have urged the public to report similar threats and reminded supporters that campaigns must operate in a safe environment free from intimidation and violence. As the legal process unfolds, communications from Mamdani’s office have emphasized resilience and commitment to community representation in the face of intimidation.