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ABQ man federally charged with hate crime against synagogue, JCC.NEWS Albuquerque man faces federal hate crime charge Rex Crofton allegedly threatened to 'kill all Jews' before smashing windows at synagogue, Jewish Community Center An Albuquerque man has been federally charged with a hate crime after he allegedly smashed the windows of a synagogue and the Jewish Community Center after threatening to “kill all Jews” earlier this month.Rex Crofton, 25, is charged with damaging religious property.He faces up to three years in prison if convicted.His attorney did not respond to requests for comment.Crofton also faces state charges, including desecration of a church and two counts of criminal damage to property exceeding $1,000.“He is in federal custody pending a preliminary hearing on Thursday,” according to Tessa DuBerry, spokeswoman for the U.S.Attorney’s Office.Police received a call about 4:30 p.m.June 2 reporting that a man — later identified as Crofton — had smashed the bullet-resistant doors of Congregation Albert, a synagogue on Louisiana NE south of Montgomery, and "flipped off" the building before driving away, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.Less than 10 minutes later, Crofton arrived at the Jewish Community Center on Wyoming NE, south of Academy, where surveillance footage showed him repeatedly striking the front door with what appeared to be a crowbar, the complaint states.According to the complaint, Crofton tossed the tool into his vehicle when JCC security guards approached.A security guard then pepper-sprayed him through the vehicle window before he sped out of the parking lot."The incident forced the JCC to issue an emergency closure, disrupting camp pickup and alarming numerous witnesses," according to a Friday news release from the U.S.Department of Justice.Nathan Towan, a spokesperson for the JCC, said the attack was disturbing and noted that the community center is intended to be a safe place for everyone."Any form of violence or attack in our community is horrific," Towan said."What I find most disturbing, regardless of intent, is the hate directed toward a community center.” "We're not afraid," he added."We understand there are people in our community who feel this way, and seeing it up close is alarming.That's why we have a very secure building.We know incidents like this are possible, and we're going to do everything we can to protect our community." Towan said the JCC's day-to-day operations have not been affected and that the damaged window has been repaired.After the attacks, Crofton sent text messages to a family friend in which he bragged about damaging the synagogue and threatened to kill police officers if they intervened, according to the release."I just hit two synagogues in 5 minutes," Crofton allegedly wrote, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S.District Court."Send the cops my way, I'd love to kill all of them.I'll make an example out of all your little cop homies." In an interview with an FBI agent, Crofton's family said he began expressing "extreme antisemitic views" within the past year and had most of his social media accounts banned because of such posts.Relatives also told the agent that about an hour before the vandalism, Crofton was "in a state of mania" and said he was "going to kill Jews," according to court records.Family members told investigators they feared he might eventually carry out a mass shooting.Crofton surrendered to Albuquerque police and was arrested June 3, according to the complaint.During his arrest, he allegedly told FBI agents he was a racist.On June 4, Albuquerque police filed a petition seeking the removal of several firearms from Crofton's home, citing the vandalism and prior domestic violence cases.FBI agents executing a federal search warrant at his home recovered the wrecking bar allegedly used in the attack, a revolver, brass knuckles, a machete and a torn Ukrainian flag bearing a hand-drawn swastika, according to the release.Crofton's mother told investigators that in the fall, he tore down the flag from a dentist's office because he "felt it was connected to Ukrainian Jews," the complaint states.Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news.Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.