James P. Reardon, 24, who was released from federal prison July 15 after serving 35 months for making threats toward the Jewish Community Center in Youngstown in 2019, committed a violation of his federal probation and now has new restrictions he must observe.

Specifically, he is ordered to stay away from white supremacy groups.

Judge Patricia Gaughan in U.S. court in Cleveland filed an order Wednesday after viewing a “violation report” regarding Reardon, who is formerly of New Middletown. It is not known where he is living.

It states Reardon “must not associate, communicate, or otherwise interact with any known or unknown members or affiliates who promote or discuss white nationalism / supremacy.”

It adds: “This includes persons or events (such as) rallies or protests that promote or discuss anti-Semitic, anti-black, anti-LGBTQ, replacement theories or violence toward any group or government officials.”

The judge stated if Reardon should “inadvertently associate, communicate, or otherwise interact with extremist groups or individuals you must immediately report this to the probation officer.”

The docket in Reardon’s case does not indicate what type of violation he committed. Reardon was released from prison six months before the expiration of the 16 months of prison time the judge ordered him to complete Sept. 22, 2021.

She ordered he serve 41 months for the threats and said he got credit for 25 months in the Mahoning County jail awaiting trial. Reardon pleaded guilty May 26, 2021, to transmitting a threatening communication, which resulted in six months of his sentence; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which resulted in the other 35 months.

While on probation Reardon must allow his computers to be monitored, the judge said previously.

Ross Smith,one of Reardon’s attorneys, said Thursday the reason Reardon was released early is because the federal system gives inmates credit for “good time” in prison.

Daniel Ball, public affairs officer for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cleveland, said after a defendant is transferred to the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, it is “really up to them to determine if or when a sentence is complete.” He said the courts and U.S. Attorneys office have no input.

He said federal inmates can earn good-time credits under the federal First Step Act. The act states such credits are possible if the person is serving a sentence for a conviction under certain provisions of law.

HIS CRIMES

New Middletown police contacted the FBI on Aug. 16, 2019, after being made aware of a video posted on an Instagram page by user “ira-seamus.”

The video depicted Reardon holding an assault rifle. It began with Reardon stating “(expletive) a life.” He then held the rifle in multiple firing positions, with audio of gunshots and sound effects of sirens and people screaming added into the background, according to Reardon’s criminal complaint.

The video also had a caption that stated: “Police identified the Youngstown Jewish Family Community shooter as local white nationalist Seamus O’Rearedon.” The video is shown to be tagged at the Jewish Community Center of Youngstown, according to the complaint.

New Middletown police showed federal agents other videos in which Reardon was depicted, including a National Geographic documentary in which Reardon was at the August 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va., and an Instagram video posted by Reardon in which he discharges two rounds of ammunition into a cover of a video while making a remark about “Jewish media.”

A friend of Reardon’s was alleged to have created a video showing Reardon shooting an assault rifle while uttering a German phrase, adding sounds of sirens and and screams and sending the original and edited version to Reardon, the filing notes.

Prosecutors said Reardon added the caption about “local white nationalist Seamus O’Rearedon” and posted it on Instagram on July 11, 2019, tagging the Jewish Community Center of Youngstown.

Members of law enforcement searched Reardon’s residence later that day. In the basement, investigators found a Nazi-designed MP-40 sub-machine gun like the one depicted in the video, an AR-15 assault rifle, numerous Nazi World War II propaganda posters, a rifle bayonet, a Hitler Youth knife and vintage U.S. military equipment, according to the complaint.

At his sentencing, the judge told Reardon he will be on probation for five years after he leaves prison. He also must be drug tested within 15 days of leaving prison and must receive mental health treatment as outlined by his probation officer.

erunyan@vindy.com