Beverly Man Accused Of Antisemitic Threats Faces Dozens Of Gun Charges

BEVERLY, MA — A Beverly man is facing dozens of gun charges and a charge of making a threat against a place of worship after the FBI said he posted threats to rape Jewish women and encouraged other users of an online site to shoot people outside of synagogues.

Beverly police said upon notification from the FBI National Threat Operations Center that the man posted several threats against people of Jewish faith on an internet image board, they got a search warrant for the Essex Street home of Matthew Scouras, 34, and located a 9mm Glock "ghost gun" with no serial number, six boxes of ammunition, three large-capacity rifle magazines, 11 lower receivers for various rifles, a Nazi flag, more than $70,000 in cash and other various gun parts.

Under the most recent update to Massachusetts firearms laws, each lower receiver is legally considered to be a different gun.

Police said Scouras was charged with 12 counts of possession of a firearm without a license, illegal possession of ammunition, possession of a large capacity feeding device, improper storage of a firearm, threats to destroy a place of worship, willful communication of a threat with a gun and making a gun without a serial number.

Beverly Rabbi Mendel Barber told Patch that police informed him of the threats this weekend.

"For the Jewish community, it's a time to stay together, stay strong," he told Patch. "When they go low we get the strength to go high. Anyone who needs support should reach out. We are working with all of the local officials to make sure there are no threats, and that everyone is safe.

"It's our job to add more light into the face of such darkness, let's add in a good deed, lest help a fellow, so we can educate those around us to be involved in acts of goodness and kindness."

Police said Scouras was taken into custody and held for a mental health evaluation and charged with the crimes on Saturday.

He was held without bail pending a detention hearing on Jan. 13.