Man Who 'Terrorized' Suffolk County Charged With Hate Crimes: DA

MANORVILLE, NY — A Manorville man is facing hate crimes charges after authorities said he shot at businesses and homes and harassed people based on their faith and sexual orientation.

Christopher Keller, 36, was indicted Friday in connection with five shootings throughout Suffolk County in 2020. He harassed several people through telephone and social media by sending anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ messages, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini.

“This defendant is an alleged menace who has terrorized a number of individuals in our community based on his perception of their religion and their sexual orientation,” Sini said in a statement. “He allegedly harassed numerous victims; he shot a gun into a residence and several establishments throughout Suffolk County; he vandalized cars; and he repeatedly sent extremely disturbing messages to his victims on social media that have caused them to fear for their lives and the safety of their loved ones."

For months, Keller, "spewed hate and created life-threatening situations for individuals causing unnecessary harm and fear,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart added.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and Suffolk County Police Department’s fifth precinct squad detectives investigated five shootings that took place in Suffolk County in 2020, including the shooting of a residence in Kings Park on Nov. 22, 2020; the shooting of a retail business in Holtsville on Nov. 22 and Nov. 25; the shooting of a business in Medford on Nov. 28; and the shooting of a retail business in Nesconset on Dec. 1, Sini said.

Vehicles at the Kings Park location had also been shot with a pellet gun on Oct. 17, 18, and 31 in 2020; vehicles at a residence in Medford were shot with a pellet gun on July 17 and July 26, Sini said.

Keller was found to have committed the five shootings and was responsible for damaging the vehicles, Sini said.

One of the victimized businesses’ employees reported to detectives that he had been receiving threatening messages via Instagram that included anti-Semitic rhetoric and imagery depicting the Holocaust; the investigation revealed that Keller had sent the messages, Sini said.

Further investigation revealed that additional people were harassed by Keller via Instagram between July 2020 and February 2021, Sini said. He sent several victims messages that included death threats, maps with their addresses marked off, photos of their family members, and violently pornographic images, as well as harassing messages that were anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ in nature; Keller also harassed them via telephone, Sini said.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Keller’s residence in Manorville on Feb. 12 which resulted in the seizure of an assault rifle, a .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, a .22 caliber rifle, and multiple large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, Sini said.

Keller was arrested following the search warrant on Feb. 12, Sini said. He was charged with three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony; two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment a felony; two counts of second-degree criminal mischief, a felony; three counts of second degree aggravated harassment as a hate crime, a felony; criminal possession of a firearm, a felony; seven counts of third-degree criminal mischief, a felony; four counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor; fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor; four counts of second-degree menacing, a misdemeanor; and nine counts of second degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor, Sini said.

Keller was arraigned on the indictment Friday in front of Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro; at the arraignment, the DA's office requested that he be held in jail pending the completion of his case, Sini said. Keller was released on $300,000 cash bail, which he had previously posted, with GPS monitoring and supervision by the Suffolk County probation department, Sini said.

He is being represented by Glenn Obedin and is due back in court on May 3, Sini said.

If convicted of the top count, Keller faces a maximum sentence of up to seven years in prison, Sini said.