Florida Man Gets 10-Year Sentence for Attacking Jewish Teens in 2022
A 19-year-old Florida man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for assaulting Jewish teenagers during Sukkot in 2022. The case, which involved verbal slurs and gunfire, did not include hate crime charges.
In a significant legal development, a Florida court has sentenced Noah Amato, a 19-year-old resident of Ponte Vedra, to 10 years in prison for a violent incident that occurred in October 2022. The case, which took place in St. Johns County, Florida, involved an attack on four Jewish teenagers who were observing Sukkot, a week-long Jewish harvest festival.
The incident unfolded when Amato, then 17, encountered the group of Jewish teens walking along a road in Ponte Vedra Beach. According to court records, Amato verbally accosted the teenagers with antisemitic slurs before physically assaulting one of them, Zalman Barrocas, with a handgun. The situation escalated further when Amato discharged the firearm near Barrocas' head, causing burns to the victim's face.
During the sentencing hearing, which took place on Friday, August 30, 2024, Barrocas provided emotional testimony about the impact of the attack. He stated, > "My life could have been over that day. I believe it's a miracle from God and I thank him every day. I hope it's a story that ends with us being safer and we're able to live in society without being in fear."
The legal proceedings revealed that Amato had entered a no contest plea to charges of aggravated battery and carrying a concealed firearm. In Florida, aggravated battery is classified as a second-degree felony, while carrying a concealed firearm without a permit is a third-degree felony. The sentence also encompassed a separate incident from 2023 involving fleeing from police and reckless driving.
Despite calls from Rabbi Nochum Kurinsky, Barrocas' uncle, for the inclusion of hate crime charges, prosecutors did not pursue this avenue. It's worth noting that Florida has specific laws against hate crimes, and the Jewish population in the state comprises approximately 3% of its total residents.
During the hearing, Amato expressed remorse for his actions, stating, > "I take 100% responsibility for the heinous crime I committed. I was highly intoxicated on an entire bottle of liquor and some Percocets."
This admission highlights the dangerous combination of alcohol and opioids, particularly given that Amato was below the legal drinking age of 21 at the time of the incident.
The case has drawn attention to the broader issue of increasing hate crimes against Jews in the United States. It also underscores the complexities of the U.S. criminal justice system, including the practice of plea bargaining and the application of mandatory minimum sentences for firearm-related offenses in Florida.
As the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the United States, St. Augustine, where the sentencing took place, serves as a poignant backdrop for a case that touches on issues of cultural diversity, religious freedom, and the ongoing challenges of combating hate-motivated violence in American society.
