A 34-year-old man from Eugene, Adam Edward Braun, has admitted to committing federal hate crimes by targeting a local synagogue. According to information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Braun pleaded guilty to defacing Temple Beth Israel on multiple occasions, which included spraying the synagogue with graffiti that bore antisemitic symbols and phrases.
Between September 2023 and January 2024, Braun's acts escalated to the point whereon January 14, he arrived at the synagogue armed with a hammer, intending to smash the glass doors, only halting when he noticed a surveillance camera before relocating to spray "White Power" on the building, in a brazen display of hate, as noted in the press release. On January 31, following collaborative work by the Eugene Police Department and the FBI, a search of Braun’s residence produced evidence linking him to the attacks and material consistent with antisemitic views. In an operation executed by local authorities, investigators rooted out multiple items from his home.
The initial charge against Braun came on March 4, later expanded on May 9 to five counts related to hate crimes. Braun is convicted of "two counts of intentionally defacing a synagogue and one count of attempting to deface religious property because it was a place of religious worship for Jewish people," as detailed in the report by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Braun faces potential penalties of up to one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, and one year of supervised release for each of the charges he is set to be sentenced for on February 18, 2025, by U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane. As part of his plea agreement, Braun has agreed to provide full restitution to the affected synagogue. Prosecutors Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Cameron A. Bell, Trial Attorney for the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section, have emphasized the seriousness of the offenses and the comprehensive investigation that led to Braun's conviction.
