Cutler Bay Man Pleads Guilty To Threatening Mosque

MIAMI, FL — A 26-year-old Cutler Bay man has pleaded guilty to charges that he threatened to blow up a suburban Miami mosque in May. Dustin Allen Hughes of Cutler Bay admitted to one count of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs through the threatened use of a dangerous weapon and explosive of persons in the free exercise of religious beliefs. Prosecutors said Hughes made four telephone threats to the Jamaat Ul Muttaqeen Mosque of Pembroke Pines, Florida.

"During the plea hearing, Hughes admitted that on May 5, he called an emergency contact for the Jamaat Ul Muttaqeen Mosque of Pembroke Pines, Florida, and left a hate-filled and profanity-laden voicemail message denigrating Islam and threatening to blow up the mosque," federal prosecutors explained.

"Hughes further admitted that in his message he specifically stated that he had a detonator, that he was “going to blow your . . . temple up,” and that “you guys are all going to be up in flames after I’m done with you,” according to prosecutors.

There were no bombs found and no one was injured. All of the calls were allegedly made between May 2 and May 5.

“Our office is committed to protecting the right to freely exercise one’s religious beliefs,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin Greenberg in announcing the guilty plea on Friday. “Obstructing this right, by force or threat of force, constitutes a hate crime that we will continue to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”

Hughes is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 6 before U.S. District Judge Federico A. Moreno in Miami. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert F. Lasky in Miami said that his agency has made hate crime cases its top priority.

“Freedom of religion is a fundamental right for every American," Lasky said.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davis and Trial Attorney Samantha Trepel of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

The threats were investigated by the FBI, FBI Miami Area Corruption Task Force, Pembroke Pines Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department and Miami Police Department.

Photo by Paul Scicchitano