West Palm Beach Man Indicted for Making Threats Against CAIR Michigan Chapter

DETROIT – Michael Shapiro, a 72-year-old resident of West Palm Beach, Florida, faces charges after allegedly making repeated threats against the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Michigan Chapter, announced U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison today.

Joined by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Chad Baugh, Chief of the Canton Police Department, Ison revealed the details of the indictment.

According to the indictment, Shapiro placed three separate phone calls to CAIR’s office in Canton, Michigan, leaving voicemails containing violent threats:

• 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 fing bastards. Muslims! I’m going to kill you mother fers. 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 fers. You’re violent. You’re killers. You’re rapists. I’m going to kill you mother fers!”

Shapiro faces three counts of transmitting threats in interstate commerce, with the indictment alleging that he intentionally targeted CAIR due to the religion and national origin of its staff and those it assists.

“Today’s charges should serve as a warning that those who threaten violence, especially when they intend to instill fear in an entire community, will be identified, investigated, and aggressively prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Ison.

Gibson emphasized, “Threats motivated by religious bias can have a devastating impact on an entire faith community. For this reason, hate crimes are one of the FBI’s highest investigative priorities.”

Chief Baugh expressed gratitude for the partnership with the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office in addressing Shapiro's threats, reinforcing their commitment to combating hate crimes and ensuring community safety.

Shapiro faces up to 10 years in prison for each of the three counts if convicted. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Canton Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Lee Carlson prosecuting.

Canton Man Charged with Six Bank Robberies

A grand jury in Cleveland returned an indictment charging Benjamin G. Gates, age 33, of Canton, Ohio, with six counts of bank robbery, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland office.

“Our law enforcement partners are to be commended for bringing an end to this wave of bank robberies,” Dettelbach said.

“This case reflects the valued partnership between the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the citizens of Northern Ohio,” Anthony said. “Subsequent to the media’s rapid release of key information, the public provided invaluable leads resulting in the arrest of Benjamin Gates.”

The robberies named in the indictment are as follows:

■July 2, 2012 - U.S. Bank, 2505 Cleveland Avenue, Canton, Ohio

■July 20, 2012 - U.S. Bank, 75 Graham Road, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

■July 27, 2012 - Huntington Bank, 4700 Belmont Avenue, Liberty, Ohio

■August 3, 2012 - Huntington Bank, 1955 East Maple, North Canton, Ohio

■August 10, 2012 - Huntington Bank, 608 Raff Road SW, Canton, Ohio

■August 16, 2012 - U.S. Bank, 2502 Bailey Road, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the following agencies: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Canton Police Department, North Canton Police Department, Jackson Township Police Department, Liberty Township Police Department, and the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department.

The matter was presented for indictment by Assistant United States Attorney Linda H. Barr.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the prior criminal record, and the defendants role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.