HONOLULU, Hawaii – In a shocking case of betrayal, Ikaika Erik Kang, a 35-year-old Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Kang, formerly stationed at Schofield Barracks, was sentenced to 240 months on Counts 2, 3, and 4 to run concurrently, and 60 months on Count 1, to run consecutively, for a total of 300 months (25 years) in prison. As part of his sentence, Kang will serve 20 years of supervised release following his incarceration.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Kenji M. Price, and Special Agent in Charge Sean L. Kaul of the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office announced the sentence.
At sentencing, Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway accepted a plea agreement between the United States and Kang, in which Kang had agreed to serve 25 years of imprisonment and a period of at least 20 years of supervised release and up to life. In imposing sentence, Judge Mollway said that Kang’s conduct was “extremely serious” and “had the potential to be disastrous.”
“Kang swore to defend the United States as a member of our military, but betrayed his country by swearing allegiance to ISIS and attempting to provide it material support,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “With the sentence imposed today, he is being held accountable for his betrayal and his crimes. I want to thank all of the agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for this case.”
Kang’s crimes began in early 2016, when he became sympathetic to ISIS. He regularly watched ISIS propaganda videos online, for as long as four to five hours a day, or more. Kang made numerous statements in support of ISIS and expressed a desire to join ISIS. He spoke approvingly and in detail about committing specific acts of violence against others, including by attacking large public gatherings, such as the Honolulu Christmas Parade, and a parade at Schofield Barracks.
On June 26, 2018, Kang met numerous times with undercover FBI agents who he believed had connections to ISIS. He provided them with sensitive, non-public military documents, some of which were classified at the SECRET level, which he intended that they later provide to ISIS. He also provided them with a commercially-purchased small aerial drone, a military chest rig, and other military-style clothing and gear.
Ikaika Erik Kang, a 35-year-old Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The case was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Kenji M. Price, and Special Agent in Charge Sean L. Kaul of the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office.
Defendant Information:
Defendant Name: Ikaika Erik Kang
Criminal Charges: Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization
City and State: Honolulu, Hawaii
Exact Date: June 26, 2018
Sentence or Outcome: 300 months (25 years) in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release
Key Facts
- State: Hawaii
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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