WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors unsealed hate crimes charges Thursday against an Ohio man accused of spraying a noxious substance at a D.C. synagogue late last year.
Brent Wood, 34, of Ohio, was arrested in December and ordered to stay away from the Kesher Israel Congregation in Georgetown after he allegedly sprayed multiple people with an unknown substance while shouting, “Gas the Jews!”
Wood was originally charged in D.C. Superior Court with two counts of simple assault and one count of threats to do bodily harm based on the victim’s religion. On Thursday, prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging Wood with three far more serious federal counts of obstruction of persons in free exercise of religious beliefs. Because Wood is alleged to have used or threatened the use of a dangerous weapon during the crime, each charge carries a maximum penalty upon conviction of 20 years in prison as well as the possibility of a hate crime enhancement.
Wood has been a fugitive since January, when he failed to appear for a status hearing in Superior Court. A judge issued a bench warrant for his arrest the same day.
In charging documents last year, investigators said Wood can be seen driving a U-Haul van around the security bollards at the orthodox synagogue in Georgetown before he began spraying congregants and yelling at them. Wood reportedly shouted, “Gas the Jews!” multiple times and was allegedly still yelling it while recording himself when police arrived.
After officers showed up, Wood allegedly rushed into the driver’s seat of the van, but police were able to turn the vehicle off and place Wood in handcuffs.
In a statement to WUSA9, the Jewish Federation of Great Washington, which represents dozens of Jewish organizations in the D.C. area, applauded news of the indictment.
“As antisemitism continues to rise nationwide, this indictment sends a clear message that attempts to intimidate and threaten the local Jewish community will not be tolerated," a Federation spokesperson said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said in a press release Thursday the case was being helmed by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crabb Jr. Crabb was one of two prosecutors in the case filed against anti-abortion activist Lauren Handy and other members of her group for blockading the entrance to a D.C. clinic in 2020. Handy and her co-defendants were convicted at trial last year and Handy was sentenced in May to 6.5 years in prison.