Utah Man Indicted on Federal Hate Crime Charges for Alleged Synagogue Bomb Threat

A Utah man has been indicted on federal charges, including attempting to commit a hate crime, for allegedly threatening to "blow up" a synagogue. Skyler AJ Rose, 22, of Ogden, was charged by a federal grand jury with multiple offenses, including possession of an unregistered destructive device and threatening to kill or injure people and destroy a building with an explosive.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah, Rose allegedly made multiple threatening posts on social media on Dec. 23, 2025. One post stated, "I wanna blow up a synagogue." An investigation traced the social media posts to an IP address at Rose's home.

Authorities executed a search warrant at Rose's residence, where they discovered six improvised explosive pipe bombs, one inert device, and materials that could be used to construct more explosives. They also found a cellphone and two rifles with ammunition.

Investigators later found that Rose had searched online for a synagogue near him in November 2025. In addition to the hate crime-related charges, Rose was also indicted on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography.

"There is no place for hate motivated violence—attempts or otherwise—in our communities. A place of worship should be a refuge of safety, not fear," U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak stated. "Let these charges serve as a clear warning: if you attack or attempt to attack a place of worship, you will face the full force of the federal government."

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division added, "The Department of Justice will take decisive action to protect American worshippers from violent threats, no matter where they occur."

Rose's initial court appearance is scheduled for October 23 in federal court in Salt Lake City.