An 18-year-old North Carolina woman faces a $10 million bond after authorities reportedly charged her with plotting with two men to kill Jewish worshippers at a Texas synagogue.
Officials arrested Angelina Han Hicks of Lexington on Wednesday on two felony conspiracy counts in an alleged plot against Houston’s Congregation Beth Israel synagogue, according to court documents obtained by ABC News. The records named two male co-conspirators listed only as “Angel” and “Teegan.”
Warrants alleged April 21, 2028, was the planned date for an attack on the congregation, FOX8 WGHP reported. The office of District Attorney Garry Frank, who covers North Carolina Prosecutorial District 33, pushed back on that timeline in a statement. “The date doesn’t reflect the entirety of the evidence and shouldn’t be interpreted to mean the contemplated acts were not imminent,” the office said. (RELATED: Suspect In Mississippi Arson Says He Targeted Synagogue Because It’s Tied To Judaism)
Cops also arrested a 16-year-old in Harris County, Texas, and charged the juvenile with conspiracy to commit capital murder, The Associated Press (AP) reported, citing a Houston Police Department news release. Authorities did not confirm the apprehension was connected to Congregation Beth Israel specifically.
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) April 23, 2026
The FBI announced its Charlotte Joint Terrorism Task Force opened a probe Tuesday after North Carolina law enforcement received a tip, the AP reported. FBI Director Kash Patel said on social media that the swift action “likely saved lives.”
District Court Judge Carlton Terry ordered the $10 million bond against Hicks, writing Wednesday that the alleged “conspiracy is to kill as many Jews as possible by driving through a a congregation on a synagogue.”
Hicks’ lawyer, Chad Freeman, told ABC News he could not comment on the allegations Thursday. “I briefly spoke to her about preliminary matters,” he said.
Her father, Dannie Hicks, called the charges “fabricated” and “way over the top” in an audio statement obtained by FOX8 WGHP. He blamed her alleged involvement in an internet-based fantasy game and said she owns no vehicle and holds no driver’s license.
Congregation Beth Israel closed its campus Wednesday as a precaution, ABC News reported, citing the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston. The group said law enforcement increased patrols around Jewish institutions in the area.