A Missouri man was sentenced to 19 years behind bars for attempting to assist the Islamic State in attacking the United States.
Robert Lorenzo Hester Jr., 28, was sentenced Wednesday after he pleaded guilty in September 2019. He believed he was attempting to provide material support to the terrorist organization from October 2016 to February 2017 but was actually communicating with undercover FBI agents.
“Law enforcement engaged Hester to see if he was truly committed to an act of terrorism, and his responses left no doubt that he was,” the Department of Justice said.
Robert Lorenzo Hester Jr. (Columbia) sentenced to 19 years/8 months for his role in making preparations to launch a terrorist attack with persons he believed were members of ISIS, but who were actually undercover law enforcement. https://t.co/IURnNkNuxo
— U.S. Attorney WDMO (@USAO_WDMO) March 4, 2020
Hester was previously enlisted in the Army, which gave him knowledge of how to access military bases. He received a general discharge after less than a year of service in 2013, according to the DOJ.
Hester appeared to have converted to Islam and “expressed animus toward the United States, and posted photos of weapons and the ISIS flag, among other material, suggesting an adherence to radical Islamic ideology and a propensity for violence.”
He was originally arrested on Feb. 17, 2017, subsequently charged, and has since been in custody.
“He believed he was part of an ISIS-sponsored terrorist attack that would result in the deaths and injuries of many innocent victims. He readily participated in the preparations for an attack, provided materials and resources for an attack and voiced his intent to carry out an attack. I commend the FBI for protecting the public from a security threat,” a 2017 DOJ press release stated.
The FBI became aware of Hester’s intentions via his social media posts, where he used several aliases, including “Mohammed Junaid Al Amreeki,” “Junaid Muhammad,” “Rabbani Junaid Muhammad,” “Rami Talib,” and “Ali Talib Muhammad.”
“Hester obtained, at the undercover’s request, items that he was told would be used as bomb components, including boxes of roofing nails. The undercover made clear to Hester that the nails’ purpose was to maximize the number of casualties,” the DOJ said.
