The Michigan chapter of Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the sentencing of a Florida man to 18 months in federal prison for sending death threats to its staffers.
A judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit yesterday sentenced Michael Shapiro to 18 months in federal prison for sending death threats to office of CAIR-MI. Shapiro had previously pled guilty to charges of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. His threats included:
December 8, 2023: “I’m going to kill you bastards. I’m going to kill you bastards.”
December 14, 2023: ““I’m going to kill you mother f*****g bastards. Muslims! I’m going to kill you mother f*****s. I’m going to kill you! I’m going to kill you! I’m going to kill you!”
December 15, 2023: “You’re a violent people. Why do you come to America? Why do you come to Europe? Mother f*****s. You’re violent. You’re killers. You’re rapists. I’m going to kill you mother f*****s!”
SEE: Florida man convicted of threatening to kill Muslims in Metro Detroit sentenced
“We welcome the judge’s sentencing of Mr. Shapiro to do actual prison time instead of mere probation,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid. “We hope that his sentencing serves as a deterrent to those who contemplate harassing or threatening our colleagues across the country as well as our community institutions.”
Walid also noted that a Macomb County man was recently charged with sending threats to CAIR-MI’s office including his call for the “extermination of all Muslims” while also personally threatening him.
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CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director, Dawud Walid (248) 842-1418, dwalid@cair.com; CAIR-MI Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure, (586) 943-8823, adoukoure@cair.com