Dayne Antani Christian, aka Shakur, 32, of Lake Park,
Florida, pleaded guilty on March 29, to conspiracy to provide material support
to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign
terrorist organization, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section
2339B(a)(1); and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in
violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). Darren Arness
Jackson, aka Daoud, 51, of West Palm Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty on April 4,
also to conspiracy to provide material support to ISIL. ISIL is also known by
the acronym ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham). Both defendants are
U.S. citizens.
Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Mary
B. McCord, Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District
of Florida, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field
Office and members of the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) made
the announcement. Both pleas were entered before U.S. District Judge Robin
Rosenberg.
On July 21, 2016, Christian, Jackson and co-defendant
Gregory Hubbard, aka Jibreel, were arrested by the FBI, after Jackson drove
Hubbard and an FBI confidential human source (CHS) to Miami International
Airport for an overseas flight to Germany. According to the criminal complaint
filed in the case, Hubbard had purchased a ticket to Berlin, Germany, and
planned to travel later to Turkey by train and then cross into Syria to join
ISIL.
On July 26, 2016, an indictment was returned by the Grand
Jury charging the three defendants with conspiring and attempting to provide
material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIL), in
violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B(a)(1). Christian was also charged with four
counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §
922(g)(1).
According to the indictment, beginning in at least July 2015
and continuing until their arrests, Hubbard, Christian and Jackson conspired to
provide personnel to ISIL. According to admissions made as part of their guilty
pleas, both Christian and Jackson talked with Hubbard and the CHS about their
support of ISIL and various acts of terrorism committed by and attributed to
ISIL and its supporters. Both Christian and Jackson expressed a desire to
travel to Syria to join ISIL. At various times during the conspiracy both
Christian and Jackson provided firearms (including an AK-47 style assault rifle
provided by Christian) and firearms instruction so that Hubbard and the CHS
could practice shooting at a remote area in Palm Beach County in preparation
for their travel to Syria to join ISIL.
Hubbard is presently scheduled for trial in front of Judge
Rosenberg for the trial period commencing October 30. All three defendants have
been detained since their arrests.
Christian and Jackson face a statutory maximum sentence of
20 years in prison on the conspiracy plea. Christian faces an additional
statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for his plea to being a felon
in possession of a firearm. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by
Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any
offense, the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based
on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. No
sentencing date has been scheduled for the two defendants.
The FBI and JTTF investigated the case with assistance from
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Transportation
Security Administration; Miami International Airport Police Department; Boca
Raton, Florida, Police Department; Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office; City of West
Palm Beach Police Department; and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen E.
Gilbert and Edward C. Nucci for the Southern District of Florida, and Trial
Attorney Larry Schneider of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism
Section.
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