BEVERLY — A 34-year-old Beverly man who made several threats against people of the Jewish faith including shooting individuals outside of synagogues and raping Jewish women was arrested by Beverly police last weekend after local law enforcement was tipped off to the man by the FBI.
According to a statement from Beverly’s Police Chief John LeLacheur, on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, the Beverly Police Department was notified by the FBI National Threat Operations Center that an individual with a Beverly address had posted several threats against people of the Jewish faith on “an internet image board.”
“According to information provided by the FBI, an individual at 527 Essex Street posted threats to rape Jewish women and encouraged other users of the site to shoot people outside of synagogues,” Cheif LeLacheur said. “After an initial visit to the home, police obtained a search warrant for the home from Salem District Court.”
The individual who posted the threats was later identified as Matthew Scouras, 34, of 527 Essex Street in Beverly.
When police searched Scouras’ home they located the following items inside a bedroom occupied by Scouras:
- a Nazi flag
- a 9mm Glock “ghost gun” with no serial number
- a cellular telephone
- two desktop computers
- three large-capacity rifle magazines
- 11 lower receivers for various rifles
- six boxes of ammunition
Other firearm parts including, scopes, pistol frames, a jig used for drilling holes into polymer pistol handles, rifle stocks, and over $70,000 in cash were also located in Scouras’ bedroom.
“Under the most recent update to Massachusetts firearms laws, each lower receiver is legally considered to be a different gun,” Cheif LeLacheur said in a statement. Adding, “A warrant was obtained for Scouras’ arrest, and Scouras was taken into custody without incident Saturday.”
Scouras was arrested on Jan. 4, 2025, and charged with:
- Possession of a Firearm without a License (12 Counts)
- Illegal Possession of Ammunition
- Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device
- Improper Storage of a Firearm
- Threats to Destroy a Place of Worship
- Willful Communication of a Threat with a Dangerous Item (a Firearm)
- Making of a Firearm Without a Serial Number
Scouras was arraigned Monday and is being held without bail pending a detention hearing on Jan. 13, 2025.
