A New York court has sentenced Matthew Mahrer, an autistic Jewish man, to two and a half years in prison for assisting a neo-Nazi in obtaining an illegal firearm in 2022.

Mahrer and his accomplice, Christopher Brown, were arrested in Manhattan, as YWN reported, after Brown threatened to attack a synagogue. Police later recovered the firearm in Mahrer�s apartment. The arrests sparked widespread concern over the potential for violence and raised questions about Mahrer�s involvement in the crime.

During Wednesday�s sentencing, the courtroom was filled with Mahrer�s family and supporters, alongside members of the Jewish community advocating for a harsh penalty. Despite a plea from Mahrer�s attorney for an alternative to incarceration, the judge ruled that sentencing guidelines left no room for such a measure.

�I could not be more grateful that no one was hurt, and I�m sorry to everyone, especially my family,� Mahrer said in a tearful address to the court. �I�m never going to stop trying to be a better person.�

The announcement of Mahrer�s prison sentence was met with visible emotion, as some of his family members and supporters wept.

In addition to serving two and a half years in prison, Mahrer will remain under legal supervision for two years following his release.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)