Federal authorities have brought a hate crime charge against a Glendale man accused of targeting a Phoenix synagogue, underscoring the Justice Department’s continued focus on protecting religious institutions from bias-motivated crimes.
A federal grand jury indicted 33-year-old Kevin Charles Pyles on a charge of intentional defacement of religious real property in connection with an incident at Sha’arei Shalom Congregation in July 2025, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Prosecutors allege Pyles posted an antisemitic flyer on the synagogue’s front door, leading to the federal charge.
The indictment follows a separate state case in which Pyles previously pleaded guilty in Maricopa County Superior Court to making threats directed at the same Jewish congregation. Federal officials said the new charge addresses the alleged damage to and targeting of the house of worship itself.
U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said the prosecution is intended to reinforce that religious institutions should be free from intimidation and harassment. If convicted, Pyles could face up to one year in federal prison, a fine of as much as $100,000, or both. The case reflects the use of federal civil rights laws to prosecute crimes that allegedly target religious property because of the faith practiced there, alongside any related state criminal proceedings.
