Man who threatened Jewish community center pleads guilty

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) — A man who threatened an Ohio Jewish community center in a video that authorities say showed him shooting a semi-automatic rifle has pleaded guilty to charges, prosecutors said.

James Reardon, 22, entered pleas on Wednesday in federal court in Youngstown to transmitting a threatening communication and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Police and members of an FBI task force raided Reardon’s home in New Middletown in August 2019 and found firearms, a submachine gun and “numerous” items of World War II Nazi propaganda, authorities said. Reardon arrived home during the search and was arrested.

Police at the time said Reardon had posted a video of a man shooting a semi-automatic rifle that was captioned: “Police identified the Youngstown Jewish Family Community shooter as local white nationalist Seamus O’Rearedon.”

A message seeking comment was left Friday with Reardon’s attorney.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 22.