Indiana Man Who Planned Pulse-Inspired Terror Attack Sentenced

CROWN POINT, IN — U.S. Department of Justice officials said a Crown Point man was sentenced to 15 years in prison Monday for distributing information on the manufacturing and use of explosives and poisons in a terror attack. The sentence of 31-year-old Marlonn Hicks follows his July 2016 arrest on federal charges without incident, after case documents reported he quickly went from an online supporter of ISIS to someone planning a terrorist attack, according to a release. Officials said Hicks has remained in federal custody since his arrest.

Officials said Hicks was inspired to kill innocent people in terrorist attack within days of the one at Orlando, Florida Pulse Nightclub. Nine days after the Pulse massacre, officials said Hicks discussed "getting busy" with someone he believed to be an ISIS supporter, who was actually a FBI source. Discussions included coordinating planned attacks, how to manufacture and use explosives and poisons, how to obtain and practice with firearms, and making clear his motivation for the attacks, which officials said was to "open the door to hell" for FBI and similar government personnel.

Hicks also told an FBI source he was "strapped," showed a picture of his firearm, and said “if they had me on anything I’d already be dead cause in Shaa Allah (translated as "god willing”) I ain’t going to jail.”

According to officials, Hicks communicated to multiple sources and during his post-arrest interview that he wanted everyone to know the attacks were carried out in the name of ISIS.

The sentence was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II for the Northern District of Indiana and Special Agent in Charge Grant Mendenhall of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division.

“This exemplifies the Government’s commitment to prevent terrorism,” said U.S. Attorney Kirsch. “Rather than mourning the tragic attacks in Orlando, Hicks was inspired to try to commit a terror attack to kill innocent victims in the United States. My Office, working with the FBI and the National Security Division, quickly and efficiently eliminated the threat to public safety created by Mr. Hicks’ illegal activities.”

The sentence was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph S. Van Bokkelen.

More: justice.gov

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