NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- A 46-year-old man was sentenced to 25 years for intentionally setting fire to the home of a Brooklyn rabbi in 2019, District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced on Monday.
Matthew Karelefsky, a former Brooklyn resident, was convicted of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree arson, six counts of second-degree assault, and two counts of fourth-degree arson on Feb. 7.
At approximately 3:50 a.m. on June 13, 2019, a rabbi at a local yeshiva and his wife awoke to a fire in their three-story multi-family home at 1492 East 17th Street in Midwood, prosecutors said.
The fire spread to homes on either side of the property, causing 13 residents to evacuate. Several people, including a six-week-old infant and two NYPD officers were treated for smoke inhalation. Additionally, one firefighter was treated for bruising suffered while responding to the fire.
Fire Marshals determined the fire at 1492 East 17th Street was intentionally set and that it spread to the adjacent properties. Investigators also determined the fire began underneath the rabbi’s front porch, where K9 dogs identified the smell of an accelerant and fire marshals discovered remnants of a Kingsford charcoal bag, charcoal, a plastic milk carton, empty lighter fluid containers, lighter boxes and several rags believed to have been drenched in lighter fluid.
Video surveillance taken from across the street from the victims’ homes shows Karelefsky setting the fire. Additionally, video surveillance from a Midwood grocery store captured the day before the incident shows the defendant purchasing Kingsford charcoal and matches.
Police arrested Karelefsky in Manhattan on June 15, 2019. At the time of his arrest, he was wearing a pink shirt with a white collar—a shirt he was seen wearing walking near the victims’ homes before and after the incident, officials said.
Karelefsky has a tattoo on his forearm that reads, “Never let go of the HATRED – KILL Rabbi Max”. He also wrote numerous social media posts expressing his animosity for and intention to harm the victim, authorities said.
"This defendant’s actions destroyed the homes of several families and put numerous people in harm’s way. I am thankful that there were no life-threatening injuries. With today’s sentence, this defendant has been brought to justice," DA Gonzalez said.