Massachusetts Man Arrested; Nazi Flag, Guns, Ammunition Found in Home

Photo Credit: courtesy, Beverly Police Department

A 9mm Glock handgun, numerous rifle parts, ammunition, and over $70,000 in cash that was located by Beverly Police during execution of a search warrant at the home of a Beverly man who encouraged others on an internet image board to shoot people outside of synagogues.

Police in the Boston suburb of Beverly, Massachusetts have arrested a local man on multiple charges of making antisemitic threats, inciting others online to shoot people outside of synagogues, and illegal possession of guns and ammunition.

A Nazi flag was found in the home of 34-year-old Matthew Scouras, who was arraigned on Monday on more than a dozen gun charges. He is being held without bail pending a January 13 hearing.

A search of Scouras’ home turned up a cellphone, two desktop computers, a Nazi flag, a 9mm Glock “ghost gun” with no serial number, six boxes of ammunition, three large-capacity rifle magazines, 11 lower receivers for various rifles, other firearm parts, scopes, pistol frames, a jig used for drilling holes into polymer pistol handles, rifle stocks, and more than $70,000 in cash, police said.

Saturday’s arrest came after a tip from federal law enforcement.

“On Thursday, Jan. 2, the Beverly Police Department was notified by the FBI National Threat Operations Center that an individual with an address in Beverly posted several threats against people of Jewish faith on an internet image board,” police said in a statement.

“According to information provided by the FBI, an individual at 527 Essex St. posted threats to rape Jewish women and encouraged other users of the site to shoot people outside of synagogues.”

Beverly-Salem Mayor Michael Cahill and Chabad of Beverly-Salem Rabbi Mendel Barber called for unity against hate in a statement following the arrest.

“We must do acts of goodness and kindness, acts of random goodness and kindness, for absolutely no reason. Just as the same senseless hate that this young man has is for absolutely no reason,” said Barber.

“Hate and violence can have no place in Beverly, and we all must rededicate ourselves to living this every day,” Cahill said in a separate statement released late Tuesday afternoon.

“With a historic number of antisemitic incidents in the United States recorded in a one-year period last year, it is important now more than ever that we stand with our Jewish neighbors, and we reaffirm our commitment to fight antisemitism.

“The actions of one person do not represent our community, and we will continue to condemn antisemitism and all forms of hate, and to create a culture of belonging in Beverly.”