Utah Man Indicted on Federal Hate Crime Charges Over Alleged Synagogue Bomb Threat
A 22-year-old Ogden man faces federal charges including attempting to commit a hate crime after allegedly threatening to blow up a synagogue and stockpiling pipe bombs, authorities said.
A 22-year-old Utah man has been indicted on federal charges, including attempting to commit a hate crime, after he allegedly threatened on social media to blow up a synagogue and was found in possession of improvised explosive devices, federal prosecutors announced.
Skyler AJ Rose of Ogden was charged by a federal grand jury on Wednesday with possession of an unregistered destructive device, threatening to kill or injure people and destroy a building with an explosive, and attempting to commit a hate crime, among other offenses, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah.
Prosecutors allege that on Dec. 23, 2025, Rose made multiple threatening posts on social media, including one that read: «I wanna blow up a synagogue.» An investigation traced the posts to an IP address at Rose's home, and the FBI contacted Ogden City Police to assist with a home visit, where authorities confirmed the social media handle belonged to Rose.
Investigators executing a search warrant recovered six improvised explosive pipe bombs and one inert device, along with explosive precursors and components that officials say could be used to construct further pipe bombs. They also seized a black Samsung cellphone and two rifles with magazines and ammunition.
A subsequent search of the cellphone revealed that Rose had searched online for a synagogue near him in November 2025, prosecutors said. The investigation also allegedly uncovered hundreds of cached images and screenshots depicting child sexual abuse material on the device, leading to additional charges of receipt and possession of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah said places of worship must be safe refuges. «There is no place for hate motivated violence—attempts or otherwise—in our communities. A place of worship should be a refuge of safety, not fear,» she said in a statement. «Thanks to the dedicated work of the FBI and the outstanding efforts of our local police partners, these alleged threats were identified and stopped before anyone was harmed.»
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said the indictment halts an alleged plan for a violent attack. «The Department of Justice will take decisive action to protect American worshippers from violent threats, no matter where they occur,» she said.
Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City FBI field office, emphasized that no one should fear for their safety because of their faith. «Every person deserves to worship freely, without threats, intimidation, or fear,» he said. «The FBI takes every threat seriously.»
Rose's initial appearance is scheduled for Oct. 23 in federal court in Salt Lake City. The case adds to a growing docket of federal prosecutions involving threats against Jewish institutions, as authorities continue to stress the protection of houses of worship under civil rights law.
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