Dan Sohail, a 36-year-old from New Jersey, received a six-month-and-one-week sentence in Brooklyn federal court for intentionally damaging religious property after driving his vehicle into the Chabad Lubavitch world headquarters on Jan. 28. The judge declined prosecutors’ recommendation to extend the sentence by an additional eight months, noting that Sohail had already spent six months in detention and would be released approximately one week after sentencing.
The incident occurred when Sohail drove his car into the side entrance of the facility five times, causing damage to the building’s door and his vehicle’s bumper. No injuries were reported. Before approaching the building, Sohail gestured to passersby to move away from the area. The judge ordered him to pay $20,000 in restitution. The complex at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn houses a synagogue and administrative offices and contained numerous people at the time of the attack.
Prosecutors had sought a harsher sentence, citing a significant rise in hate crimes against Jewish individuals and institutions in the city. They noted that 80 of 146 hate crime incidents reported across New York City since the start of the year targeted Jews and Jewish organizations. However, Sohail was ultimately charged with intentionally damaging religious property rather than hate crimes, and he pleaded guilty in mid-May.
According to court documents, Sohail’s defense attorney characterized the incident as stemming from mental health struggles, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The attorney stated that Sohail had been attending the Chabad and was exploring Judaism while seeking community connection, but became anxious and distressed after returning from Israel. The judge cited psychiatric evaluation materials indicating that mental health challenges played a significant role in his decision-making regarding sentencing.
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