A federal judge in Brooklyn has ruled against labeling an incident involving a man who drove his car into a synagogue as a hate crime, leading to a reduced sentence for the defendant. Judge Eric Vitaliano criticized prosecutors for seeking a harsher penalty on the grounds that the act was intended as antisemitic, describing their position as a "misunderstanding" of the charges involved.

Dan Sohail, a 36-year-old resident of New Jersey with a history of mental illness, was sentenced Wednesday in connection with the January 28 crash at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, the headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement. Sohail was originally facing a 14-month prison sentence requested by the U.S. Department of Justice, which aimed to deter antisemitic crimes. However, Vitaliano emphasized that Sohail was charged specifically with a property crime and not a hate crime.

Under federal sentencing guidelines, a first-offense property crime typically results in a prison term of about six months. Sohail has already served six months in jail since his arrest, and with the imposition of a sentence of time served plus an additional seven days, he is expected to be released within the week.

The incident resulted in approximately $19,000 worth of property damage, which Sohail was ordered to reimburse. The judge’s decision highlights the distinction between charging and sentencing considerations related to the motive behind criminal acts, underscoring the importance of aligning penalties with the specific charges filed.