South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime Charge for Defacing Multiple Buildings at Charlotte Jewish Complex

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced that Dalton Ray Mullis, 24, of Indian Land, South Carolina, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark T. Odulio and pleaded guilty to intentionally defacing multiple buildings within a Charlotte complex used by the Jewish community for religious worship, education, and community activities.

"Jewish Americans have the fundamental right to practice their religion and operate faith-based community centers without intimidation," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jesus A. Osete of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "Today's guilty plea shows that the Civil Rights Division and federal authorities are continuing to remain vigilant to stop anti-religious and antisemitic vandalism and acts of violence."

"Posting nazi and lynching symbols on the Jewish Community Center creates fear and hate and has no place in our community," said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. "In this country, everyone is entitled to practicing their faith without fear, intimidation, or harassment. Those that violate federal laws protecting that right will face consequences."

"The defendant's guilty plea holds him accountable for distributing threatening materials intended to create fear and intimidate members of our community based on their religious beliefs. Acts of intimidation and threats directed at individuals because of who they are or what they believe have no place in our society. The FBI remains committed to working with our partners to protect the rights of all people to gather, learn, and worship free from fear," said FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis.

According to filed plea documents and court proceedings, in the evening of January 19, 2026, an individual later identified as Mullis traveled to the Foundation of Shalom Park (Shalom Park) complex in Charlotte. Shalom Park also includes the Charlotte Jewish Day School (CJDS), the Holocaust Memorial, and other facilities occupied by multiple organizations that operate Jewish religious, cultural, and educational programs. As Mullis admitted in court today, he defaced multiple buildings on the property including CJDS, the Holocaust Memorial, and an employee building, by affixing threatening, antisemitic flyers. The flyers included threatening messages and depicted a hangman's noose, a swastika, and a Totenkopf or "death's head," which is historically associated with the German Nazi party and SS. Surveillance cameras on the property captured Mullis spraying one of the entrances to the CJDS with what appears to be an adhesive spray and placing the antisemitic flyer onto the door.

Court documents also show that between January and April 2026, Mullis posted antisemitic messages and imagery on multiple social media sites through accounts he owned and operated, including the following post:

U.S. v. Mullis - Antisemitic Social Media Message Posted by Mullis

Mullis remains in federal custody. A sentencing date has not been set.

In making today's announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI Charlotte's Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of the case and thanked the FBI in Columbia, the Lancaster County, South Carolina, Sheriff's Office, and the Waxhaw Police Department and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, for their invaluable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dallas Kaplan with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte and Trial Attorneys Taylor Payne and Thomas Cilla with the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the nationwide National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 initiative, which is a White House directed, interagency effort to integrate federal, state, and local partners in protecting First Amendment rights while targeting individuals and organizations engaged in political violence and is led by the investigative and prosecutorial Joint Task Force Vanguard.