Man sentenced to 37 months in prison for threatening violence against Jewish institutions across the US

A Maryland man who mailed dozens of threatening letters to Jewish institutions across the United States has been sentenced to over three years in federal prison.

The Justice Department announced that Clift Seferlis, 55, of Garrett Park, Maryland, was sentenced by US District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to 37 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, along with a $40,000 fine and a $2,200 special assessment. The sentence stems from a campaign of threatening communications targeting Jewish organizations and institutions.

According to court documents, Seferlis previously pleaded guilty to 17 counts of mailing threatening communications and eight counts of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs. Between March 2024 and June 2025, Seferlis used the United States mail to send at least 40 letters and two postcards to more than 25 Jewish institutions and organizations across multiple jurisdictions. The targets included synagogues, Jewish museums, community centers, schools, nonprofit organizations, and even a Jewish delicatessen.

Many of the letters contained explicit threats to destroy buildings or injure individuals, according to court filings. Authorities said the communications were designed to intimidate recipients and disrupt their ability to freely practice their religious beliefs.

Federal prosecutors said the threats were part of a sustained effort to intimidate Jewish communities across the country. “For more than a year, the defendant terrorized Jewish communities across the country, robbing his victims of their peace and security,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The defendant’s sentence should be a warning to all that religious-based terror will not be tolerated in this country.”

US Attorney Metcalf said the threats represented a broader attack on constitutional freedoms. “Threats directed at religious institutions are attacks not just on those communities but on the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans,” Metcalf said. “Individuals who attempt to intimidate or terrorize others because of their faith will face the full force of federal law.”