Dallas Man Sentenced for Hate Threats to Minorities

Bhushan Athale, a 49-year-old Dallas resident, was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to hate crime charges for making violent threats against members of a New Jersey Sikh nonprofit organization. Athale made multiple threatening calls in September 2022 and March 2024, targeting Sikhs, Muslims, and Jews, and threatened to shave victims' hair and force them to use tobacco, actions that violate Sikh religious practices. He also sent violent, hate-filled messages to a Muslim coworker and recruiter, threatening them and their families. The Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced the sentencing, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy for hate-based threats. The court prohibited Athale from contacting any of his victims. Civil rights groups and officials condemned his actions as a serious violation of federally protected civil rights.