Franklin Sechriest: Jew-hating Texas teen possessing Nazi imagery torches synagogue
An 18-year-old from Texas has been arrested for acting on his hatred towards Jews and the community as a whole. He allegedly set fire to a synagogue in Austin on Halloween and wrote about his crime in a journal. The spiteful entry read, "I set fire to a synagogue" it was revealed in a federal complaint unsealed on November 15. Along with hating on the Jews, he also spewed vitriol against the African-American community in his journal, using the N-word in his entries alongside other mentions which included finding a Tinder date and eating at Buffalo Wild Wings.
In the past, we've reported on anti-Jew incidents across the country. For instance, Waseem Awawdeh who was accused of beating up Jewish man Joseph Borgen said "I would do it again." In other news, Oscar-nominated LaKeith Stanfield was called out for moderating a discussion about Louis Farrakhan's anti-Semitism on the Clubhouse app. The chat group name called Jews comparing them to "thieves" and "Satan spawn". Stanfield was called out for not speaking up. 'The Mandalorian' star Gina Carano was fired from the show and dubbed 'anti-Semitic' after she likened Republicans to Holocaust victims.
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Franklin Barrett Sechriest faces federal arson punishable by 10 years
According to the complaint, arson investigators determined that Sechriest "intentionally set" fire to a Synagogue on Shoal Creek Boulevard. Security cameras captured the event which happened at 9 pm on October 31 where Sechriest arrived with a green five-gallon VP racing fuel utility jug and a toll of toilet paper. While he was not captured setting the fire, cameras captured a distinct glow of a fire ignition appearing to come from the direction of the synagogue sanctuary. In the next few seconds, parking area cameras saw Sechriest jogging away from the same direction. He was seen putting the container in his car after which he stayed on the venue for some time before driving away. The complaint notes he appeared to be alone at the synagogue's parking lot the entire time and cameras didn't capture anyone else during the time.
The feds filed the complaint on November 12 about Sechriest's hatred towards certain communities on November 12, a day after the Texas State University student and a private Texas National Guard at the time was arrested on state arson charges for the fire at the synagogue. They said it caused damages worth $25,000 to the Congregation Beth Israel. The synagogue said the estimated damages amount to more than $150,000. The FBI surveillance team began a hunt for Sechriest on November 8 after he was seen driving the 2021 Jeep Cherokee that he allegedly used to carry out the arson attack. The newly unsealed complaint says the feds believed "he matched the person seen in the October 31 synagogue surveillance video."
On November 10 his car and residence were searched and the discoveries were nothing short of terrifying. Along with lighter fluid, lighter stormproof matches which the complaint says are "consistent with materials that can be used and combined to produce destructive devices known as Molotov cocktails", they also found three stickers with Nazi propaganda. Two of them included drawings of a police officer, a politician, and a doctor, all with Star of David and an "X" over their faces. "Would you kill them all to seize your rights?” the writing in the front. It also had drawings of two swastikas and a line at the bottom that read, “The price of freedom is paid in blood.” The writing on the reverse side of the stickers said, “They hate your ancestors. They hate your culture. They hate your nation. They hate your religion. They hate your children. They think it’s funny. It’s okay to hate them back.”
The FBI also got hold of his journals and an entry from October 28 included multiple reminders - to meditate, pick up a hoodie, meme on Telegram, and "scout out a target," according to the complaint. The entry on Halloween day included setting fire to a synagogue. Another entry from mid-August read, "[N-word] appreciation class." FBI also found his American Express Card which Sechriest used to buy the fuel jug. He can be charged for 10 years for the arson charge, of convicted.