Two Florida men have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State for assisting a friend in his attempt to fly overseas and join the terrorist group in July 2016, according to a Justice Department press release Tuesday.
Dayne Antani Christian, 32, of Lake Park, Fla., and Darren Arness Jackson, 50, of West Palm Beach, Fla., entered the pleas in court on March 29 and April 4, respectively. Christian also admitted guilt to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The men — both U.S. citizens — were arrested on July 21 by FBI agents after Gregory Hubbard, 52, of West Palm Beach tried to fly from Miami International Airport to Turkey and then onto Syria, where he would join Islamic State.
Hubbard entered federal agents’ radar after he told an undercover government source posing as a recruiter he wanted to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State. He then recruited the two other suspects. Law enforcement intercepted Hubbard at the airport, picked up Jackson, his driver, shortly afterward and nabbed Christian at his workplace.
The men each face up to 20 years in prison for the material support charge. Christian also faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years for the weapon charge. A sentencing date has not been scheduled for the two defendants.
