Tennessee Man Arrested for Making Threats to D.C. Planned Parenthood Facility

           WASHINGTON – A Tennessee man was arrested today for allegedly posting threats online to “shoot up” a Planned Parenthood facility in Washington D.C. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee, and Timothy Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

           Jacob Cooper, 20, of Clarksville, Tennessee, was charged with unlawfully, knowingly, and intentionally transmitted in interstate or foreign commerce a communication containing a threat to injure another located in D.C. and elsewhere. Cooper made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alistair E. Newbern in the United States District Court, Middle District of Tennessee. A preliminary and detention hearing is set for August 26, 2019.

           According to the criminal complaint, Cooper went by the username “Jacco” on iFunny, a website where people can share photos, videos, and discussion topics. On August 13, 2019, in response to a post made by another user, Cooper allegedly left a comment stating, “Make sure you tell them about how I plan to shoot up a planned parenthood facility in Washington D.C., on August 19th at 3pm.” Cooper allegedly left a separate post on August 13, 2019 stating, “If you are a member of the FBI, CIA, whatever, and are on my profile I will trace your IP address and kill you if the opportunity arises. And I am dead serious about this. I’ll do it with ricin, a bomb, or .308. Whatever it takes, then end result will be the same. I am serious about this. If I am personally contacted by any federal agents, I will do this. I will kill you. Again, I am serious. Sic semper tyrannis.”

           Cooper faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison if convicted.

           The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

           The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg is prosecuting the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron Jones from the Middle District of Tennessee.

Morris County Man Admits Possessing Bombs and Being Felon in Possession of Guns

NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man admitted today possessing bombs, precursor materials, and being a felon in possession of guns, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Christopher Faschan, 31, of Landing, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of unlawful possession of destructive devices and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On Feb. 1, 2019, Faschan drove to the home of a person identified in court documents as “Individual 1” in Stanhope, New Jersey, and displayed what he claimed to be a bomb. Shortly thereafter, Faschan detonated the bomb in the area of Lake Lackawanna in Stanhope.

On Feb. 4, 2019, law enforcement agents interviewed Faschan, who said that he had ignited the bomb. He described it as two pounds in weight and explained how he used and mixed Potassium Perchlorate, Aluminum Powder, and Tannerite to make several bombs that were in his home.

Law enforcement agents executed a court-authorized search of Faschan’s home and recovered a cache of weapons, ammunition, and firearms, including:

Firearms, Ammunition, and Large Capacity Magazines

    9mm Smith and Wesson semi-automatic, Model 5, high-capacity handgun;

    9mm Fabrique Nationale Herstal semi-automatic handgun, Model FNX-9;

    Mossberg 12-Gauge shotgun, Model 500;

    Savage .22 Caliber long rifle, Model 64;

    Sturm Ruger .22 Caliber handgun, Model Mark 1;

    .556 Caliber ammunition magazine with a 100-round capacity;

    Numerous pistol magazines loaded with 9mm hollow-point rounds.

Explosive Devices and Precursor Materials

    Device One, which contained explosive material inside a black container with BB fragmentation, and a green fuse protruding from the device in order to initiate the destructive device;

    Device Two, which contained several containers of lighter fluid affixed around explosive material in the center with a fuse protruding from the device.

    Four plastic containers labeled “exploding targets” containing a substance that appears to be Ammonium Nitrate;

    One package labeled “Thermite” containing separated chemicals;

    One container containing dark-colored powder labeled “Indian Dark;”

    One unlabeled plastic bag containing fine, dark-colored powder;

    One clear plastic container labeled “German Ecartk aluminum powder,”

    One plastic container labeled “Potassium Perchlorate;”

    Three mason jars containing a white substance labelled “KC104;”

    One package of Hobby Fuse;

    Two plastic containers containing sphere-shaped, gray energetic pellets;

    One red and white can labeled “FFg super fine black rifle powder;”

    Thirteen homemade MSeries pyrotechnic devices;

    Four improvised pyrotechnic shot shells;

    One Box labelled “10 flash banger rounds 37MM” containing 17 pyrotechnic shot shells;

    One plastic container containing suspected black powder;

    One plastic container containing dark colored fine powder;

    One bag containing electrical initiators.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson in Newark; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; officers of the Byram Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter J. Zabita; the Roxbury Police Department, under the direction of Chief Marc Palanchi; the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Francis A. Koch; officers of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James M. Gannon; and officers of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Frederic M. Knapp, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The counts of possession of a destructive device and possession of firearms by a previously convicted felon each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 25, 2019.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean C. Sovolos of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit.

DOD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

Both soldiers died August 21, 2019 in Faryab Province, Afghanistan, as a result of wounds sustained from small arms fire while engaged in combat operations. The incident is under investigation.

The deceased are:

Master Sgt.* Luis F. DeLeon-Figueroa, 31, of Chicopee, Massachusetts.

Master Sgt.* Jose J. Gonzalez, 35, of La Puente, California.

Both soldiers were assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

For more information regarding Master Sgt. DeLeon-Figueroa and Master Sgt. Gonzalez, media may contact Lt. Col. Loren Bymer, Public Affairs Chief, US Army Special Operations Command, at 910-432-3383 or loren.bymer@socom.mil.

* indicates posthumous promotion