A Colorado man who according to prosecutors is a self-identified neo-Nazi has been sentenced to more than 19 years for a plan to blow up one of the oldest synagogues in the state, officials said.
Richard Holzer, 28, was sentenced to 235 months, or about 19 1/2 years in prison and 15 years under supervision for the plan to build the Emanuel Synagogue in Pueblo, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office said.
Holzer pleaded guilty in October to a federal hate crime and an explosive. While intending to blow up the synagogue, built in 1900, he was unknowingly in contact with the FBI.
Holzer admitted after his arrest and said that although he did not intend to kill anyone, he would still continue with the attack, even if there were people inside, according to court documents.
Officials said the dynamite and pipe bombs were provided by the FBI and could not have exploded. Holzer planned to detonate explosives in the early morning hours of November 2, 2019.
Jason Dunn, U.S. Attorney for the Colorado District, said the sentence is a further step forward in our ongoing fight against extremism. ‘
Officials said Holzer’s actions met the federal definition of domestic terrorism. “Mr. Holzer has targeted a place of worship for violence and destruction to expel people of the Jewish faith from our community,” Michael Schneider, special agent of the FBI in charge of the Denver office, said in a statement. said.
Public defenders representing Holzer declined to comment Friday night. Under a plea deal, prosecutors agreed not to recommend more than 20 years in prison, documents read.
