A 22-year-old Utah man has been indicted on federal hate crime and explosives charges after allegedly threatening to blow up a synagogue, with investigators discovering six functional homemade pipe bombs, two rifles and ammunition at his home, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Skyler AJ Rose, of Ogden, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City on October 21, following an investigation that began in December 2025. Prosecutors allege that Rose published a series of antisemitic threats on social media, including the statement, "I wanna blow up a synagogue."
Pipe bombs found in Skyler AJ Rose's bedroom after he threatened to blow up a synagogue
(Photo: US District Court for the District of Utah)
According to federal court documents, Rose also posted messages threatening to kill Jews, praising Adolf Hitler and expressing hatred toward Israel. In one post, he allegedly declared, "Death to all Jews I will devote my life to killing you!"
Investigators traced the threatening messages to an internet address associated with Rose's residence. FBI agents contacted the Ogden Police Department, whose officers visited the home on December 23, 2025. Rose's mother confirmed that he operated the social media account and permitted officers to enter the property, according to prosecutors.
During the visit, officers discovered several suspected explosive devices in Rose's bedroom. Authorities evacuated the house and neighboring residences because of the danger posed by the devices, which were later rendered safe.
A subsequent search uncovered six functional improvised pipe bombs, another inert device, explosive materials and components that could have been used to assemble additional bombs. Investigators also seized two AK-47-type rifles, ammunition and a cellphone.
Federal investigators later obtained a warrant to examine the phone, which revealed that Rose had searched online for synagogues near his home in November 2025, approximately a month before posting the threats. According to court documents, he also used Google Maps to locate a specific synagogue approximately three miles from his residence.
The investigation uncovered further suspected criminal activity. Prosecutors say Rose's phone contained hundreds of cached images and screenshots depicting child sexual abuse material. The federal indictment includes separate charges of receiving and possessing such material, alongside possession of an unregistered destructive device, threats involving explosives and an attempted hate crime.
Rose had previously faced charges in Utah state court following his arrest in December 2025. Those proceedings remain ongoing, according to local television station KSL, which reported that federal prosecutors are seeking to keep him in custody because of the alleged danger he poses to the community.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said the federal indictment had disrupted an alleged plan to attack a synagogue and pledged to protect worshippers from violent threats.
U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak said the investigation demonstrated the importance of coordination between federal and local law enforcement, adding that places of worship should remain safe from intimidation and violence.
Rose's initial federal court appearance was scheduled for Friday, October 23, in Salt Lake City. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty, and the allegations have not resulted in a conviction.