Man jailed after anti-Semitic email threats sent to synagogue in NC, police say

Joe Marusak
·1 min read
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A 44-year-old man has been arrested and jailed in connection with anti-Semitic emails sent to a synagogue in the North Carolina mountains, Asheville police said.

Police charged Michael Patrick Toone with cyberstalking and took him into custody Wednesday night, according to an Asheville Police Department news release.

Toone was arrested in connection with a series of threatening and anti-Semitic emails sent to the synagogue, which police did not name.

He remained jailed on a $10,000 secured bond Saturday, jail records showed. His first court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 7.

The arrest came as violence escalates between Israel and Hamas fighters in the Middle East following the militant group’s Oct. 7 terror attacks that killed 1,300 people.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have increased security around synagogues and mosques, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. In an Oct. 8 news release, police called the move precautionary and said no credible local threats have been found.

Asheville police said they continue to investigate the threats, and more charges “may be forthcoming.”