Federal prosecutors announced charges Thursday, including a charge of attempting to commit a hate crime, against an Ogden man accused of threatening to blow up a synagogue and posting online threats to kill Jewish people nearly a year ago. Investigators say they recovered six homemade pipe bombs, materials for building more, two rifles with ammunition, and cellphone searches from November 2025 for nearby synagogues during the investigation into Skyler AJ Rose.
Federal Charges Follow Monthslong Investigation
The U.S. Attorney's Office for Utah announced the federal charges against Rose at a press conference Thursday morning, according to KSL.com. Rose faces charges of receipt of child sexual abuse material, possession of child sexual abuse material, possession of an unregistered destructive device, threatening to kill or injure a person or destroy a building with an explosive, and attempting to commit a hate crime, the station reports. The FBI's Salt Lake City field office joined the announcement alongside the Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Utah and Ogden City Police.
The case traces back to Dec. 23, 2025, when Rose allegedly posted more than half a dozen remarks on social media threatening to injure or kill Jewish people and saying he wanted to blow up a synagogue, per the same KSL account. The FBI contacted Ogden police to help investigate the claims, and the posts were traced back to Rose's residence, the station notes.
Pipe Bombs and Synagogue Searches Allegedly Found
During two searches of Rose's home, police recovered six homemade explosive pipe bombs, the material and parts to create additional pipe bombs, and two rifles with ammunition, according to the same report. Investigators also say they found November 2025 internet searches on Rose's cellphone for nearby synagogues, including directions to an Ogden synagogue.
At the time of the initial 2025 arrest, authorities said they did not have evidence that any specific synagogue was targeted, according to ABC4. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Ogden police investigated Rose and linked him to the violent, antisemitic threats online before finding the pipe bombs in his home.
Age and Earlier State Charges Reported Differently
Accounts of Rose's age differ across reporting. KSL's coverage of the federal charges identifies him as 22, while the station's earlier December 2025 report on the state case identified him as 21 when he was charged in 2nd District Court. The discrepancy has not been resolved in available reporting.
Federal prosecutors moved for Rose's detention because of the weight of the evidence and the nature of the charges, KSL reports. FBI Salt Lake City Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said in a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice that “Every person deserves to worship freely, without threats, intimidation, or fear,” adding that the FBI takes every threat seriously and crediting collaboration with law-enforcement partners for helping protect lives from potential physical harm.
Local and Federal Agencies Credit Shared Information
Ogden Police Chief Jake Sube said the case demonstrated the value of agencies working together across jurisdictions. “This case is a strong example of what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local partners share information,” Sube said, per KSL's reporting.
The Ogden case echoes an earlier federal prosecution in Colorado, where a man was charged with a federal hate crime in February 2025 for allegedly plotting to blow up Temple Emanuel Synagogue in Pueblo, according to the Department of Justice.
