Bronx Man Charged With Assault and Criminal Mischief as Hate Crimes

Larry Montes, 46, faces two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, plus other charges, in a case announced on August 15, 2026. The record names the NYPD as investigating agency and gives no account of the alleged conduct. Montes is presumed innocent.

3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 15, 2026, 8:29 p.m. ET

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 15, 2026, 7:48 a.m. ETWritten Aug 16, 2026, 11:25 p.m. ET

Developing · checked 7h ago

This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.

We last searched for new coverage of this at Aug 18, 2026, 1:38 a.m. ET — checked 7h ago.

Larry Montes, 46, of the Bronx, has been with hate crimes in a case announced on August 15, 2026. The charges as recorded are **two counts of assault as a hate crime**, **criminal mischief as a hate crime** — also entered in the record as **one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime** — and **other charges**. Both wordings of the criminal mischief charge appear in the record and are reproduced here as given; the record does not itemize what falls under "other charges." The investigating agency is listed as the New York Police Department, also given as the NYPD. The record available for this report contains no description of the alleged conduct. The field for what Montes is accused of doing is empty. It does not state where or when the alleged offense occurred, does not identify any person alleged to have been harmed, and does not name any official or agency spokesperson who described the events. Accounts of that kind that may be circulating elsewhere are not part of the material this report is based on and are not repeated here. The proceeding is at the charging stage. The record lists no arraignment or court date, no plea, no prosecuting office, and no defense attorney; it is therefore not known from this record whether Montes has legal representation or has responded to the charges.

Earlier reports

Aug 15, 2026, 8:40 p.m. ET
Bronx Man Charged With Hate Crimes Over Central Synagogue Incident; Case Undecided
Officials announced on August 15, 2026, that Larry Montes, 46, of the Bronx, has been charged following an incident during Friday evening Shabbat services at Central Synagogue at 652 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, according to fox5ny.com and abc7ny.com. The case has not been decided. It is at the charging stage, and nothing in the available record shows any resolution.
Montes faces two counts of assault as a hate crime, criminal mischief as a hate crime, one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, and other charges, the two outlets reported.
The matter remains undecided. No court has ruled on the accusations, no verdict, plea, dismissal or other outcome has been reported, and readers should not infer one. The charges are accusations, and Montes is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court, fox5ny.com reported.
Accounts from authorities differ on the sequence of events, and neither version can be treated as settled. According to abc7ny.com, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that as security was removing Montes from Central Synagogue during Shabbat services, he struck a 63-year-old woman, damaged synagogue property, and spit at and headbutted a member of the security team. According to fox5ny.com, police said Montes entered the synagogue during Shabbat services Friday evening, struck a member of the congregation, damaged synagogue property, and, as synagogue security escorted him from the building, spat at and headbutted a security team member.
The investigating agency is the NYPD, identified in the reporting as the New York Police Department, both outlets reported.
As of the August 15, 2026 announcement, the only stage this matter had reached was the filing of charges. Anyone encountering this account later should treat the case as unresolved unless a subsequent, sourced outcome says otherwise.
Aug 15, 2026, 8:29 p.m. ETFirst report
Bronx Man Charged With Hate Crimes After Central Synagogue Incident
Larry Montes, 46, of the Bronx, has been charged with multiple hate crime offenses in connection with an incident at Central Synagogue in Manhattan during Friday evening Shabbat services, officials announced on August 15, 2026, according to reporting from FOX5NY and ABC7NY.
Montes faces two counts of assault as a hate crime, criminal mischief as a hate crime, one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, and other charges, the two outlets reported.
The matter is at the charging stage only. No court has resolved it, no plea or verdict has been reported, and the outcome is undecided. The charges are accusations; FOX5NY noted that Montes is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Accounts of what happened differ, and neither has been tested in court. According to ABC7NY, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that as security was removing Montes from Central Synagogue at 652 Lexington Avenue during Shabbat services, he struck a 63-year-old woman, damaged synagogue property, and spit at and headbutted a member of the security team. FOX5NY reported that police said Montes entered Central Synagogue during Shabbat services Friday evening, struck a member of the congregation, damaged synagogue property, and, as synagogue security escorted him from the building, spat at and headbutted a security team member.
The New York Police Department is the investigating agency.
As of the announcement, the case had not been adjudicated and remains open.

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Version 116 Aug 2026, 00:29current
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Version 117 Aug 2026, 03:25current
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Version 116 Aug 2026, 00:40current
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