Schenectady man pleads guilty to conspiracy in Temple Israel case

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The U.S. Attorney's Office announced that a Schenectady man has pleaded guilty to his role in a reported shots fired incident at the Temple Israel of Albany last December. Andrew Miller, 38, faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced.

As part of his guilty plea, Miller confessed to conspiring with Mufid Alkhader between October 1 and November 6 of 2023 to purchase a Kel-Tec 12-gauge shotgun on behalf of Alkhader, who Miller said was the real buyer. Miller stated that he and Alkhader believed that Alkhader could not lawfully buy the gun himself.

Miller admitted to lying to a firearms dealer in Albany County on his Firearms Transaction Record submitted on November 5, 2023, claiming that he was the true purchaser, a method known as straw purchasing. He confessed to taking ownership of the firearm at the gun shop on November 6, 2023 and later gave the shotgun to Alkhader on the same date.

The shotgun is alleged to have been possessed and fired by Alkhader outside of Temple Israel on December 7, 2023. Alkhader remains charged with two firearms crimes, and the case remains under investigation by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Albany Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

In addition to prison time, Miller faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a post-release term of supervision of up to three years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Anne Nardacci on October 18.