Man Accused Of Making Bomb Threats Against Pembroke Pines Mosque

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A federal grand jury has indicted a Cutler Bay man accused of making threats to a Pembroke Pines mosque.

Dustin Allen Hughes, 26, is charged with four counts of obstruction of religious freedom and four counts of making the threats by phone.

According to the indictment, between May 2nd and May 5the, Hughes made four separate threats by telephone to Jamaat Ul Muttaqeen Mosque. According to the indictment, each time, Hughes left a voicemail message containing bomb threats and derogatory language towards Muslims.

"Everyone has the right to practice their religion and visit places of worship without having to fear for their physical safety," said United States Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg in a statement. "This office, with the assistance of our law enforcement partners, will aggressively defend these rights and prosecute those who commit hate crimes of any kind."

If convicted of the charge of obstruction of persons in the free exercise of religious beliefs through threatening the use of a dangerous device and explosive, Hughes faces a statutory maximum term of 20 years in prison. If convicted of the charge of making a threat by telephone, Hughes faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison.