Gregory Hubbard, 54, of West Palm Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty on February 8 to conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The admission marks the latest conviction in a federal crackdown on domestic ISIS sympathizers plotting to join the jihadist group abroad.
Hubbard was arrested July 21, 2016, at Miami International Airport alongside an FBI confidential human source (CHS), en route to Berlin, Germany. From there, he planned to travel to Syria to join ISIS in active combat. The operation was intercepted before departure, thanks to a long-running undercover investigation involving the FBI’s Miami Field Office and the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).
According to court filings, the conspiracy spanned from July 2015 to Hubbard’s arrest. During that time, Hubbard and co-defendants Dayne Antani Christian and Darren Arness Jackson discussed their support for ISIS and global jihad with the confidential source. They praised terrorist acts carried out by ISIS and even conducted multiple firearms training sessions—preparing for combat in Syria.
“Individuals seeking to travel to take up arms with ISIS pose a threat to the security of all nations,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force continue to work proactively in order to stifle and disrupt any potential danger posed by terrorist organizations and their supporters.”
Special Agent in Charge Robert F. Lasky of the FBI Miami echoed the warning: “Stopping terrorists before they can act is serious business that requires dedicated law enforcement professionals and eternal vigilance.” He urged the public: “If you see something, say something.”
Hubbard now faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for April 19 before U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg. Christian pleaded guilty March 29, 2017; Jackson on April 4, 2017—both to conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS. Christian also admitted to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Both face up to 20 years on the conspiracy charge, with Christian facing an additional 10 years on the weapons count. Their sentencing will follow Hubbard’s. The case was investigated by the FBI, JTTF, ATF, TSA, Miami International Airport Police, and multiple local law enforcement agencies across Palm Beach County.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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