New Jersey Man Sentenced for Damaging Chabad Headquarters

A 36-year-old New Jersey resident was sentenced in federal court on Wednesday to time served plus an additional seven days for intentionally damaging the Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters in Crown Heights. Dan Sohail of Carteret, New Jersey, had previously entered a guilty plea to one count of intentionally damaging religious property.

U.S. District Judge Eric Vitaliano ordered Sohail to pay $19,010 in restitution to cover repair costs for the synagogue. Sohail has spent approximately six months in custody between state and federal facilities following his arrest on January 28, 2026. On that evening, Sohail drove his 2012 Honda Accord into the side entrance of the building at 770 Eastern Parkway while congregants were gathered to observe the anniversary of the movement's late spiritual leader's passing.

According to a criminal complaint, Sohail exited his vehicle before the collision to move stanchions and signal for people to clear the area. He then proceeded to strike the entrance multiple times with his car. While the impact caused significant damage to the structure, no injuries were reported among the dozens of people present.

Federal prosecutors had requested a 14-month prison term, arguing that the sentencing guidelines did not adequately address the gravity of the offense. In a sentencing memo, they noted that the act targeted a prominent Jewish institution during a period of heightened concern regarding anti-Jewish crimes. While the NYPD initially investigated the incident as a potential hate crime, federal authorities ultimately determined there was insufficient evidence to pursue such a charge.

Sohail provided investigators with conflicting accounts following his arrest. He claimed to have recently discovered his own Jewish heritage and stated he had been invited to the event, yet he also attributed the collision to a loss of vehicle control caused by icy road conditions and his choice of footwear.