Stephen Spencer Pittman will remain in federal custody after his initial appearance today. The FBI charged Pittman with arson in the burning of Beth Israel Congregation Saturday morning .
U.S. Magistrate Andrew Harris presided over the hearing this afternoon. Pittman remains in the hospital but appeared with Federal Public Defender Mike Scott on Zoom. The defendant's arms were heavily bandaged from his fingers to just above his elbows . Scott said the hospital will release him Wednesday.
The complaint charges Pittman with arson. He faces a prison sentence of five to twenty years in prison and/or a fine of $250,000 or less.
The defendant answered each question with a polite "yes sir." He concluded one response to the Magistrate's questions with "Jesus is Lord."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dr. Matt Allen represented the cause of justice today. Allen asked the Court to keep Pittman in custody. Magistrate Harris set a preliminary hearing and bond hearing for Pittman on January 20 at 3 PM.
Pittman is 19 years old. He completed three semesters of college.
Several agencies issued press releases this afternoon.
A Madison man was arrested Saturday evening for charges related to his alleged arson of Beth Israel Congregation and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life building. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, United States Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
“This disgusting act of anti-Semitic violence has no place in our country, and unlike the prior administration, this Department of Justice will not let anti-Semitism fester and flourish,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “I have directed my prosecutors to seek severe penalties for this heinous act and remain deeply committed to protecting Jewish Americans from hatred.”
“Every American has a fundamental right to live and worship free from violence and fear,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI will never waver in our mission to protect Jewish communities from targeted anti-Semitic attacks and will work to hold accountable anyone who engages in these types of violent acts.”
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi said, “This hateful, anti-Semitic attack on the Beth Israel Congregation is disturbing and unacceptable. Mississippians may rest assured that my office will not stand idly by when violence and intimidation threaten our community. We will seek the most serious charges warranted by the evidence and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. We remain fully committed to standing with Jewish Americans and protecting our communities from hatred and harm.”
Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office: "Houses of worship are sacred. Citizens of Mississippi of all faiths and backgrounds have the right to worship free of violence and intimidation. The heinous actions of Stephen Spencer Pittman, which allegedly sought to destroy the Beth Israel synagogue, will not be tolerated. While Mr. Pittman acted alone, FBI Jackson will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to hold accountable those who seek to infringe on the rights of Americans. The FBI is committed to protecting all places of worship and delivering justice for our communities. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities that could represent a threat to public safety."
According to court documents, Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, of Madison, Mississippi, used gasoline to set fire to the religious building in the early morning hours of Saturday, January 10, 2026. The fire resulted in extensive damage to a significant portion of the building and rendered it inoperable for an indefinite period time, as can be seen in these photographs (posted above - KF).
As a result of his crime, Pittman received burns to parts of his body.
According to its website, the Beth Israel Congregation was founded in 1860, and it has operated in its present location since 1967. On September 18, 1967, the then-new temple on Old Canton Road was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan. The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life provides services to Jewish communities in 14 states and comprehensive religious school programs to 70 Jewish congregations and offers traveling rabbinical services.
Pittman appeared in court today to face charges contained in a criminal complaint filed against him for violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i), which prohibits arson of property used in interstate commerce or used in an activity affecting interstate commerce. If convicted, Pittman faces a minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Jackson Police Department, and Jackson Fire Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case.
Mississippi Department of Public Safety
71 comments:
Psych exam coming up.
He must have missed that part of the Bible where God called the Jewish people His chosen people.
Let his sentence begin with community service at Beth Israel helping the people he hurt and repairing the damage he caused. Followed by a long prison sentence. His privileged days over.
This kid seems to have lost touch with reality, with his bizarre comments and beliefs, texting his father as he committed the crime, and then laughingly confessing to it. He is about to get a healthy dose of it, though.
Madison thugs, IYKYK
It's bad enough that many people who have never stepped foot in Mississippi still associate it with the days of Jim Crow and the KKK -- this nutcase just poured gasoline on that image as well.
The father was aware where his son was while his son was committing the act. Life360 app is mentioned... Why did the father not call authorities then... Why wait till daylight. Why not rush to stop the son. Yes the father turned him in later. But.
You people needs to stop asking so many questions you sound like lunatic conspiracy theorists
He goes by his middle name - Spencer - as dad is also Stephen.
“Jesus is Lord” and “Christ is King” are code phrases for the groypers. Candace Owens uses it frequently.
Antisemitism comes in forms other than the pro-Hamas protesters on campus.
Man… he’s gonna be pissed when he finds out that Jesus was Jewish.
I feel so sad for his family. I hope they will get the help they need.
Yes. Hard week for the dad for sure.
The article said he completed 3 semesters of college. Which college? His hat has CCC on it?
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Not sure what his problem is but it was like he wanted everyone to know that he did it. Telling the father then laughing makes me think that this was just fun for him and no consequences for his acts. Much of the youth today thinks they can get out of trouble and reality is not real but a video game. You will find out that 20 years will make your reality real.
CCC = Coahoma Community College.
Cohoma CC
Groyper is a term I was not familiar with so I. googled it. In addition to being antisemitic, it is a white supremacy shit pile. Interesting that he is playing baseball at Coahoma as it is 85% black. You got to wonder how a kid that young with a catholic education living in fashionable Madison gets this messed up. The internet is a wonderful thing - cannot wait for AI to improve it. NOT
Antisemitism??? How about mental illness combined with drugs?
He looks Jewish. No kidding.
From all outward appearances prior to this, he was a good kid, but he suffers from schizophrenia, and one can only guess he was not taking his meds as prescribed.
Now google mentally ill using Grok for self diagnosis and treatment.
Who knows what happened?
His hair was darker on zoom this afternoon. I thought it too
Years ago I was talking to a JPD officer and asked about young people acting tough, not caring about being arrested, he said “ all good until we slam the cell door, lock it and walk away. About 2 hours later he says you hear “ I want my momma, my grandmother”, it hits them. It will hit this idiot for 25 yrs. He toast.
He looks Jewish.
Like you would know.
another JJ attorney at 506
already formulating an insanity defense.
dont quit your day job.
just go home to your mother.
It is a legit question as to why the father didn't call JPD to stop him.
this boy is just a child!!!!!!!!!.....this case belongs in youth court.
also hes insane.
how can you trumpers be so hateful?
failing to take his medicine is the fault of society.
He suffers from zero sex with a woman, too much time on the internet listening to freaks say bad stuff about all the usual easily targeted people (Jews Mexicans gays) and he sees little ahead for himself so….he burns down a synagogue while texting and laughing….hes in a cult
"Interstate commerce." Riiight.
The insanity defense fell by the wayside many years ago in practice. Not knowing what you are doing it is belied by texting your dad while you are doing it and the laughing about it. Hes gonna be continuing his baseball career in the Mississippi penal league and he’s gonna be a power bottom for Tyrone who also stays north of Drew.
If Federal Magistrate J. David Orlansky were still living, he might have gotten this case. That would have been ironic, but he would have recused.
“Stupid is as stupid does.” It’s sad that one idiot would cause so much harm to so many.
What? So it’s society’s fault, seems about right coming from someone that follows what the left preaches. Zero accountability.
@6:17 AM
you just had to be the boomtard to take that obvious troll’s bait? You couldnt just ignore it like everyone else?
His hair was probably darker as it was recently toasted.......
Where is the Hate Crime charge?
Hard to contemplate anyone torching a house of worship of any faith, so difficult for the connected families; makes my heart hurt.
Hopefully insurance and donations will allow the congregation to build back to serve their members and the community even better than before. Better days ahead for Beth Israel!
For some like @12:16, the notion of forced prison sex seems to be more cathartic than the penitent time spent in custody.
I’m really concerned about the obsession by commenters on this blog with interracial prison rape. I guess it does explain the top pornhub searches in Mississippi.
His injuries are just warming up for his eternity of burning in hell.
Just let 12:16 have his little fantasies.
Your big words are falling on deaf ears with this crowd.
My question exactly!
Dad was the one who turned him in. He apparently told his son to come home before he started the fire and may not have realized or believed the son was actually going to follow through. When the son got home, he had burns on his body and confessed, laughingly, according to the report on FoxNews. Dad then turned him in. It must be really awful for the dad to know that his son did this horrible act. But he did the right thing. In hindsight, calling earlier might have helped, but the fire may also have been started before the police and fire department could have arrived.
If he was psychotic when this happened (as people who know him are saying), he did not have the requisite intent. Ya'll need to back off until we know more. Villainizing this kid does not make you come off as a better person; it just makes you look stupid.
Defending his actions doesn't make you look great either.
All ya’ll need to take a deep breath, then go find a cool spot. This young man was sick, and if you cant find a little compassion for all parties involved, we as a civilization are at the point of collapse.
Apparently very few people in this state have heard of schizophrenia. They are lucky if they've never had a loved one suffering from it.
10:39 19 years old is not a child in the eyes of the law
There you go, condemning the young man to judgement. The Christian thing to do would be to pray that GOD would grant him a place to repent, and he would be saved from such condemnation.
2 Peter 2:9
I don’t know the circumstances surrounding this young man’s actions. However, something as “innocent” as smoking pot (lots of kids do it, including many of the commenter’s kids) can cause psychosis and even schizophrenia.
I am praying for this young man and his family.
This kid's motivation was exactly the same as the motivation of the KKK when they firebombed this Temple in 1967: Jesus of Nazareth, while acting contrary to everything we know about what He said.
No way that magical medicine is bad for you.
https://healthcity.bmc.org/bmc-psychiatrists-innovate-treat-teenagers-marijuana-induced-psychosis/
Reefer Madness was 100% correct.
And you know it was not mental illness.
Excellent comment, 6:56 pm.
I agree, 8:01 am.
Thank God nobody was in the Synagogue when this happened. This person should get the maximum sentence allowed. The hate, the damage, the planning, the laughing, the potential for loss of life.
Man, the commenters here sure seem more inclined to appeal for empathy with and/or leniency for this guy than the average Jackson area teen who stands accused of doing something horrible.
Oh I cannot WAIT until they start to discuss his mental state and possible schizophrenia as a mitigating factor. The conspiracy theorists, aluminum hat crowd, and race-baiters will be loud and boisterous. And I'm here for it.
If, as people who know him say, he was diagnosed and off his meds, there will be a record and it will be very difficult to claim that his mental illness is fabricated. But there are a ton of people out there who really want this to be a hate crime and that is what is really sick. No one wants to be schizophrenic.
His fans and family are out in full force defending him today.
I am of the pale white conservative persuasion but I bet half of his cheerleaders would not be defending a black kid for doing this.
Or suggesting that we wait to see if a young black man was schizophrenic before we condemn him.
Some of us still want all criminals held properly liable for their crimes. Regardless of where they grew up or if we are pals with their dad.
21 minutes. That's all it took from my eagerly awaiting the race card to it being slammed down on the table.
The one mental condition that is a sure defense to a crime that requires specific intent is psychosis and if the kid was a diagnosed schizophrenic, off his meds, posting the shit I've read he posted, he's not guilty by reason of insanity. The fact that the law might be applied unfairly is not a reason to not apply it in this case. That's just the way it is. You don't have to like it.
Another TikTok challenge. They start out with "ding, dong, dash," and then it's the "kick the door challenge," and then when that gets boring they move on to the "burn the synagogue challenge."
He has no defense & will get better help in a federal prison. Drugs and mental illness will not apply .
11:59, So you're speculating that half of white people are racists, that wouldn't give a black kid a fair shake.
I'm speculating that you place yourself in the other half, even though race is clearly your first consideration.
There are clearly a number of people who bring their own baggage to every event.
9:46, actions have consequences. Sick or not, he broke the law. He needs to be held accountable.
@10>48 AM, and not just the commenters’ kids either. It’s the commenters and their kids, sometimes even forming that familial bond of parent and child getting stoned together.
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