A Margate man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for planning targeted assaults on Jewish and Black Americans.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), 41-year-old John Kevin Lapinski Jr. pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a handgun, possession of a firearm by a person subject to a court order, possession of an unregistered silencer, and possession of body armor by a violent felon.
On October 31, 2024, officers from the Margate Police Department (MPD) responded to shots fired in a Margate area. Inside his home, officers discovered a shooting target depicting a Black man with bullet wounds.
A thorough investigation revealed the breadth of his arsenal, which included:
- Five guns
- 3,000 rounds of ammunition
- Firearm parts
- Firearm accessories
- Two silencers
- Body armor
- Smoke grenades
- Ghillie suit
- Tactical gear
In addition to the weapons, officers discovered alarming indications of something more nefarious. Officers claim they discovered maps of area schools, parks, and other community sites with racial slurs aimed at Black and Jewish people written on them. They also discovered a “target list” that included “groups to attack.”
The list apparently includes a Jewish member of Congress, local synagogues, Jewish-owned businesses, and other ethnically identifiable locations.
Investigators also connected Lapinski to a shooting incident in August 2024 that targeted a Jewish resident’s car and home.
“Let this sentence serve as a warning: hate-fueled violence will be met with decisive federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “We will disrupt your plans, seize your weapons, and ensure you never endanger the people of this District again.”