ISIS Sympathizer Sentenced To 15 Years For Planning Pier 39 Attack
FRESNO (CBS SF) -- A Modesto man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison Monday for attempting to provide material support to ISIS and plotting a terrorist attack on San Francisco's Pier 39.
U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill sentenced 27-year-old Everitt Aaron Jameson to federal prison as part of a plea bargain reached with federal prosecutors.
"Jameson put his fellow Americans at risk by supporting ISIS and planning an attack on behalf of the terrorist organization," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. "This is unacceptable, and I am grateful for the hardworking agents and prosecutors who are responsible for this successful result."
"There is no place in the United States for terrorists and terrorist sympathizers who threaten innocent people, and the National Security Division will relentlessly seek to identify them and bring them to justice," he added.
Jameson pleaded guilty on June 4. According to the plea agreement, Jameson admitted that between September 2017 and December 20, 2017 he 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 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 and noted that his time in the military had trained him for combat and war.
Jameson later 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 court documents, 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 he 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 that explosives could be used to funnel people into an area so that he could inflict casualties by shooting people trying to escape.