California Man Charged with Aiding ISIS
A complaint was unsealed in Brooklyn federal court today charging Bernard Augustine, 21, of Keyes, California, with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS or ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr. of the FBI’s New York Field Office and Commissioner James P. O’Neill of the NYPD announced the charges. The defendant is scheduled to make his initial appearance today at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York before U.S. Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.
As alleged in the complaint, the defendant traveled to Tunisia in February 2016. Upon his arrival in Tunisia, the defendant attempted to travel to Libya to enter ISIS-controlled territory. The defendant was arrested in Tunisia before he was able to travel into Libya.
Prior to his departure from the United States, Augustine repeatedly expressed support for ISIS and for individuals who provided support to the foreign terrorist organization’s mission of violent extremism. In March 2016, JTTF agents obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s laptop computer. In reviewing the contents of the defendant’s laptop, agents found evidence that, in the months prior to his departure, the defendant had viewed numerous videos that depicted ISIS leaders and fighters, including fighters engaged in acts of violence.
The defendant, Bernard Augustine, of Keyes, California, is charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, Augustine faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charge in the federal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Baldwin of the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Raj Parekh of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are in charge of the prosecution.
Mr. Demers and Mr. Donoghue extended their grateful appreciation to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which comprises a large number of federal, state and local agencies from the region.
Defendant information: Defendant Name: Bernard Augustine, Age: 21, City/State: Keyes, California, Charges: Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS, Date of Crime: February 2016, Sentence: Maximum 20 years in prison.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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