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A Texas man was arraigned in a Queens courtroom on Thursday for allegedly making death threats against New York City mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani. Jeremy Fistel, 44, faces nearly two dozen charges, including making terroristic threats as a hate crime. According to prosecutors, Fistel left at least four threatening voicemails at Mamdani's office in Queens, telling him to watch his family and that they deserved to die. He also allegedly sent a written message through Mamdani's website with similar threats.
Fistel was arrested in Plano, Texas, earlier this month and brought to New York City. He has pleaded not guilty and is currently free on bail. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz emphasized the seriousness of the threats, stating, "We take threats of violence against any office holder extremely seriously." Mamdani's campaign expressed gratitude for the district attorney's response, highlighting the broader issue of hate in political discourse.
The threats have led to increased security for Mamdani, who is challenging to replace incumbent Mayor Eric Adams. Adams noted the irony of Mamdani requiring police protection despite his criticisms of the NYPD. Fistel is scheduled to return to court on November 19, two weeks after the mayoral election.
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