4-Year Prison Sentence For South Florida Man Who Threatened To Blow Up Mosque
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A Miami area man was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday for threatening to blow up a Pembroke Pines mosque.
Dustin Allen Hughes, 26, pleaded guilty in June to one count of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs for the threatening call.
Investigators said, "Hughes admitted he called an emergency contact for the Jamaat Ul Muttaqeen Mosque of Pembroke Pines and left a hate-filled and profanity-laden voicemail denigrating Islam and threatening to blow up the mosque."
Hughes also admitted that he had a detonator and that he was "going to blow your... temple up," and that "you guys are all going to be up in flames after I'm done with you," authorities said.
No bomb was found by investigators after an extensive search of the exterior and interior of the mosque.
"This prosecution sends a clear message that committing hate crimes has serious consequences," said U.S. Attorney Benjamin Greenberg. "Along with our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney's Office will continue to prosecute those individuals who threaten members of our South Florida community because of their religious beliefs."
"The sentence handed down today reflects the seriousness of threats to places of worship, which can instill fear in whole communities," said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. "The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute hate crimes so that all people, no matter how they worship, can live their lives freely and without fear."