FRESNO, Calif. — Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, of Modesto,
pleaded guilty today to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic
State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C.
Demers and U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, between September 2017 and
December 20, 2017, Jameson voiced support for ISIS knowing that the
organization was engaging in terrorist activity and terrorism. Among other
things, he had several online interactions with a confidential source, and
during those interactions, he stated that he was committed wholeheartedly to
“the cause.” Jameson also expressed support online for the October 31, 2017,
terrorist attack in New York City, as well as other terrorist attacks. In
subsequent communications with an undercover agent, Jameson stated that he was
ready to do whatever they needed done here and noted that his time in the
military had trained him for combat and war. According to court documents,
Jameson joined the Marine Corps and received basic training, including earning
a sharpshooter rifle qualification, but was ultimately discharged for failing
to disclose his asthma history.
Later, Jameson met with another undercover agent whom he
believed to be associated with, and working for, the senior leadership of ISIS
and offered to carry out violent acts and provide financial support for the
terrorist organization.
According to the plea agreement, on December 16, 2017,
Jameson discussed what he could offer to the cause. Among other things, Jameson
stated that he was well versed in the Anarchist Cookbook, and explained his
desire to use explosives in an attack. He also noted that he could get PVC
pipe, nails and powder for explosive devices, and asked for remote timing
devices from that person, Jameson identified Pier 39 as a target location of an
attack, noting that it was crowded and explosives could be used to funnel
people into an area so that he could inflict casualties by shooting people
trying to escape. Jameson also offered to provide money to the cause.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dawrence W. Rice Jr. and
Christopher D. Baker are prosecuting the case with Trial Attorney Brenda Sue
Thornton of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Jameson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge
Lawrence J. O’Neill on September 4, 2018. Pursuant to the plea agreement,
Jameson faces a 15-year prison term, followed by a lifetime of supervised
release. Under the agreement, the court may accept or reject the parties’
agreement about the appropriate sentence.
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