A North Carolina man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for sending antisemitic threats to Georgia State Representative Esther Panitch and Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar of Temple Beth Israel in Macon. The sentence, which is the statutory maximum, was handed down after Ariel E. Collazo Ramos, 32, was found guilty of mailing threatening communications with a hate crime enhancement.
The threats followed public support by both women for Georgia House Bill 30, legislation that defines antisemitism in the state. The bill was signed into law on January 31, 2024.
Ramos sent postcards containing antisemitic messages and imagery to both Panitch and Bahar at their home addresses. According to court documents presented at trial, one side of the postcard included a handwritten statement referencing Zyklon B—a chemical used by Nazis during the Holocaust—and offered a discount code using an antisemitic slur. The reverse side depicted a drawing of a Jewish male as a rat alongside the words “JEWS ARE RATS.” Both recipients testified about the safety precautions they took after receiving these threats.
At sentencing, U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes stated: “Let me be clear: individuals like this defendant will face federal prosecution for criminal acts driven by hatred. This case underscores that crimes rooted in antisemitism and any hate crime against race, religion, or protected groups, will be prioritized. Law enforcement stands with the Macon community to unite against hatred, and we will use the justice system to hold offenders accountable.”
FBI Atlanta Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Robert Gibbs added: “Hate has no place in our society. Today’s sentencing of neo-Nazi Ariel Ramos reinforces the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting civil rights and sends a clear message that threats based on faith or identity will not be tolerated.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. U.S. Attorney Will Keyes prosecuted the case with assistance from the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
