The Bristow man who admitted to aiding the Somali terrorist group al-Shabaab was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Zachary A. Chesser, 21, was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Alexandria. His attorneys had asked for a sentence of 20 years, while prosecutors were seeking a 30-year term.
In October, he pleaded guilty to providing material support to a terrorist organization, communicating threats and soliciting crimes of violence.
In his plea, Chesser admitted that he encouraged attacks on the creators of the television show “South Park” for mocking the prophet Muhammad on the program. He also said he solicited others to try to desensitize law enforcement by putting suspicious-looking, but harmless, packages in public places and that he twice tried to go to Somalia to join al-Shabaab as a fighter. He once took his infant son to the airport to avoid detections.
