A 24-year-old man from South Carolina is facing a federal hate-crime charge after vandalizing several Jewish community buildings in Charlotte earlier this year. Dalton Mullis of Indian Land was arrested on June 11 in connection with the damage to the Jewish complex, and he appeared in court on Friday, June 12.
According to the indictment, Mullis went to the Jewish Community Center at Shalom Park in Charlotte on January 19, 2026, intending to deface the property. The complex includes a school, a memorial and other buildings. Prosecutors said he placed anti-Semitic flyers on the property featuring a noose, a swastika and a “death head,” a symbol associated with Nazi Germany.
Surveillance video also showed the suspect spraying glue on a door and attaching one of the flyers. U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson of the Western District of North Carolina said Mullis is accused of intentional property damage by placing “threatening anti-Semitic flyers.” Mullis remains in federal custody on the hate-crime charge and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Charlotte Police Chief Estella Patterson said, “Threats to our houses of worship and cultural institutions have no place in Charlotte. We will not tolerate intimidation of any kind, and we will continue to stand alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety and security of our community.”
