Texas man charged with making terroristic threats against Zohran Mamdani

A Texas man was charged with making terroristic threats against Zohran Mamdani, a New York State Assembly member and the frontrunner in the race for New York City mayor.

Jeremy Fistel, 44, allegedly threatened Mamdani in voicemail and written messages in June and July, according to officials.

“As alleged, the defendant threatened an elected official by leaving a series of increasingly alarming anti-Muslim messages with the office of Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. The defendant told the assemblyman to go back to Uganda before someone shoots him in the head, to keep an eye on his house and family, to watch his back every second until he leaves America, and that he and his relatives deserve to die,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.  “Let me be very clear – we take threats of violence against any office holder extremely seriously – and there is no room for hate or bigotry in our political discourse.”

Those threats prompted an increase in Mamdani’s security, officials said.

Fistel, who was arrested earlier this month in Plano, Texas, pleaded not guilty Thursday to a 22-count indictment charging him with making a terroristic threat as a hate crime and other counts. He was released on bail and ordered to return to court on Nov. 19. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

“We are grateful to District Attorney Katz’s office for treating this matter with the seriousness it deserves. Unfortunately, threats of this nature are all too common—and they reflect a broader climate of hate that has no place in our city,” Mamdani’s campaign said in a statement.

On June 11, at approximately 11:27 a.m., Fistel allegedly left a message on Mamdani’s office voicemail saying, in part, “Hey Zohran, you should go back to f—— Uganda before someone shoots you in the f—— head and gets rid of your whole f—— family, too. You piece of s— Muslims don’t belong here,” the indictment said.

Then on June 18, at approximately 9:45 a.m., Fistel allegedly left a message saying that Mamdani was not welcome in New York, or in America and to “Go on and start your car. See what happens…yeah, keep an eye on your house and your family. Watch your f—— back every f—— second til you get the f— out of America,” according to the indictment.

A few weeks later, on July 8, Fistel allegedly submitted a written message through the assembly member’s website, saying, “I hope you get terminal cancer and die a painful death very soon. I’d love to see an IDF bullet go through your skull. Would be even better if you had to watch your wife and kids murdered in front you before they end your pathetic miserable life…I hope you all die painful sudden deaths. Do us all a favor and kill yourself,” the indictment said.

And then on July 23, at approximately 1:47 p.m., Fistel allegedly left a voicemail message saying Mamdani and his family deserved to die and that “F—— terrorist piece of s—. All you and your Muslim f— loser friends and relatives and family and wife and kids deserve to die. You deserve to be six feet under the f—— ground. I hope somebody does it quickly, somebody shoots you in the f—— face…I hope you get raped and murdered as well,” according to the indictment.

“We are thankful for the security measures in place for both the Assembly Office and the campaign, and we want to reassure the community that Zohran and the team are safe. We respect the judicial process and will not be commenting further on the details of the case,” Mamdani’s campaign said in a statement.”

Mamdani is challenging incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who said Mamdani’s campaign requested, and received, a full police detail following the threats.

“There is almost a level of irony to this. Here you have a person who has spent his life bashing the NYPD,” Adams said. “He has a full detail that is moving with him because they were concerned about his life.”