A former Cornell University student, 22-year-old Patrick Dai, was sentenced on Aug. 12 to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release for making online threats towards Jewish students, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Dai, a junior at Cornell University from Pittsford, New York, pleaded guilty to posting threatening messages on Oct. 28 and 29 of 2023.
He admitted to posting messages in an online discussion forum section at Cornell, including threats to “shoot up 104 West” and “bomb Jewish house,” targeting a dining hall and the Cornell Jewish Center that catered to Jewish students.
Freedman emphasized that the court classified Dai’s actions as a hate crime under federal Sentencing Guidelines due to the targeting of Jewish students, causing significant disruption to the university’s educational environment.
According to Freedman, Dai’s threats instilled fear within the Cornell community and compromised their sense of security.
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In another post, Dai made additional threats towards Jewish individuals, including men, women, and babies, expressing intentions to bring a rifle to campus and target Jews.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departmentâs Civil Rights Division stated, âEvery student deserves to pursue their education without the fear of violence based on their identity or beliefs, and Dai’s anti-Semitic threats violated that right.â
Clarke added, âDai’s actions reflect the hateful prejudice that Jewish communities endure, and this sentencing should serve as a warning against hate crimes on college campuses.â
Dai was also fined $100 for using interstate communications to post the threats, according to the DOJ.
FBI Albany Field Office’s special agent in charge, Craig Tremaroli, condemned Dai’s actions as fueled by hatred towards Jewish communities and emphasized the FBI’s commitment to investigating and preventing hate crimes to safeguard college campuses and communities.
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