Overview

• Jeremy Fistel, 44, pleaded not guilty to a 22-count indictment alleging terroristic threats and aggravated harassment as hate crimes against Zohran Mamdani.
• Prosecutors say a series of voicemails and messages called Mamdani a terrorist, told him to go back to Uganda, threatened to shoot him and blow up his car, and said he and his relatives deserved to die.
• Fistel was arrested Sept. 11 in Plano, Texas, and extradited to Queens; the case was led by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force with assistance from the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service.
• He posted $30,000 bail and is under an order of protection to stay away from Mamdani; if convicted of the top charge, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
• The defense argues the statements were unpleasant but protected speech and calls the case weak, while Mamdani’s campaign thanked prosecutors and the NYPD has assigned the candidate a full security detail.