A California man who unleashed a disturbing campaign of terror against North Carolina's Jewish community has learned that hate crimes have very real consequences—15 months in federal prison, to be exact.
Kevin Day Dunlow, 62, of Huntington Beach, received his sentence this week after pleading guilty to transmitting threats across state lines. It's a conclusion that brings some measure of justice to a case that sent chills through synagogues and law enforcement offices across the Tar Heel State.
When Phone Calls Become Weapons
For 16 terrifying days in May 2024, Dunlow turned his telephone into an instrument of fear. His targets weren't random—they were carefully chosen to maximize terror. Synagogues in Raleigh and Durham. The Wake County Sheriff's Office. An elected official. Even a church in northeastern North Carolina, according to federal prosecutors.
The most haunting call came on May 10, just before evening services began at a local synagogue. Dunlow's message to the rabbi was both explicit and chilling: "Jews didn't deserve to live. Jews didn't deserve to be on this earth. I'm going to kill the Jews. I'm coming to the Temple to kill all the Jews and the children," as detailed in court documents.
Nine days earlier, he'd called the Wake County Sheriff's Office with a false bomb threat, telling a dispatcher "we're going to kill you," according to prosecutors.
Part of a Much Bigger—and Scarier—Picture
Dunlow's case isn't happening in a vacuum. It's part of what can only be described as a national crisis of antisemitism that's hitting communities like a freight train.
The numbers from North Carolina alone are sobering: 175 antisemitic incidents in 2024, representing a 16% jump from the previous year's 151 incidents, according to Anti-Defamation League data. Even more troubling? Bomb threats against synagogues specifically climbed from 15 to 22, with 19 of those targeting houses of worship.
Zoom out to the national picture, and it gets even worse. 2023 saw a staggering 8,873 antisemitic incidents across the country—a 140% increase that represents the highest level recorded since tracking began in 1979, as reported by the Anti-Defamation League.
Coast-to-Coast Copycat Crimes
Dunlow's playbook—threatening calls to synagogues—is being used nationwide. A Massachusetts man was arrested for leaving similar threatening voicemails at local synagogues, including calls to bomb Jewish places of worship and kill Jewish children, according to Department of Justice case examples. In Chicago, a 22-year-old man faces terrorism and hate crime charges after allegedly shooting a Jewish man walking to synagogue, as reported by CNN.
The pattern is unmistakable, and it's deeply troubling.
Justice Served—With Authority
Federal authorities didn't mess around when it came to Dunlow. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force moved quickly, and prosecutors brought the full weight of federal law to bear. The message from Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar was crystal clear: "Threats of violence against the Jewish community and law enforcement officials are not only despicable, they are also a grave federal crime that we take seriously," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. didn't hold back either. "Kevin Dunlow made violent threats against several groups of people. He targeted law enforcement, elected officials and their families, even local faith leaders, spewing vicious threats over the phone," he said, as quoted by federal prosecutors.
The Legal Hammer Comes Down
Dunlow faced two federal charges, each carrying up to five years in prison. His guilty plea to transmitting threats in interstate commerce probably saved him from a much longer sentence—but 15 months in federal prison, followed by six months of home confinement and three years of supervised release, isn't exactly a slap on the wrist.
The case perfectly illustrates how federal law reaches across state lines to protect communities. When Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Dunlow's original arrest, his words carried weight: "The Justice Department will prosecute anyone who makes illegal threats motivated by antisemitism or bias of any kind," as stated by the Department of Justice.
The Real-World Impact
Behind every statistic is a human story, and Dunlow's threats had very real consequences. Synagogues across the country have been forced to become fortresses—70% of Jewish institutions have increased security measures since October 7, 2023, according to a 2024 American Jewish Committee survey.
Douglas Greene, who works with the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, captured the frustration perfectly when he said these incidents represent "real Charlotteans, real students, real houses of worship that get threats and real people who are afraid to show their Jewish identity in public," as reported by Spectrum News.
One Victim's Call to Action
Deborah McCullough experienced antisemitic vandalism firsthand when someone spray-painted a swastika on her house. Her response? A powerful call for community action. "I believe that history repeats itself. If you don't say something about what's going on, it will increase and increase. When people make it OK, it becomes OK. It is not OK to hate somebody for who they are, what they look like or their background," she told Spectrum News.
The Bigger Fight Continues
U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle's sentencing of Dunlow represents more than just one case closed—it's a signal that the justice system is taking these threats seriously. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel J. Diaz and Erin Blondel secured a conviction that sends a message far beyond North Carolina's borders.
But the truth is, Dunlow's case is just one battle in what's becoming a much larger war against hate. The statistics don't lie, and they paint a troubling picture of a nation grappling with rising antisemitism. The question isn't whether we're facing a crisis—it's how effectively we'll respond to it.
