A Staten Island man was sentenced on Wednesday to 10 years in federal prison for participating in a plot to kill a journalist and prominent critic of Iran‘s government in a case prosecutors say was directed by operatives tied to Tehran.

Jonathan Loadholt, 37, pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy to commit stalking and money laundering for his role surveilling the target, identified as a journalist and activist critical of the Iranian regime, Masih Alinejad, the Justice Department said.