March 3, 2026 BROOKLYN, NY The video footage is the stuff of nightmares for the Crown Heights community: a 2012 Honda Accord backing up and deliberately slamming into the iconic wooden doors of the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway. Not once, but five times.
But as 36-year-old Dan Sohail stood in a Brooklyn federal court this Monday, the narrative took a turn that even the most seasoned investigators didn't see coming.
The "Congregant" in Khaki
Sohail appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Clay Kaminsky sporting a thick beard, shoulder-length hair, and a black velvet kippah. This wasn't just a costume for the court; his defense attorney, Mia Eisner-Grynberg, dropped a bombshell: Sohail identifies as Jewish and is in the process of converting.
According to his legal team, the man the state previously labeled a "hate crystal" attacker wasn't targeting the building out of bias. Instead, they claim he was a frequent visitor to the center as a congregant.
"He denies that the actions were intentional in the way the government describes them," Eisner-Grynberg stated, noting his mixed Catholic and Muslim heritage and his burgeoning "interest in Judaism."
Federal vs. State: A Legal Tug-of-War
While Sohail was already sitting in Rikers Island on state hate crime charges, federal authorities swooped in early Monday morning to slap him with a federal charge of damaging religious property. The stakes? They depend entirely on a repair bill:
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Damage over $5,000: Up to 3 years in federal prison.
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Damage under $5,000: A maximum of 1 year.
His defense is banking on the federal case overshadowing the state’s "hate crime" narrative, predicting that the state charges will eventually be dropped.
Purim Behind Bars?
In a move that highlighted his claim of faith, Sohail’s attorney fought for his release on Monday afternoon, hoping to get him home to New Jersey in time for the start of Purim at sundown.
