ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A jury convicted a former police officer Monday of attempting to provide material to support ISIS, a designated terrorist organization, and obstruction of justice.
“Nicholas Young swore an oath to protect and defend, and instead violated the public’s trust by attempting to support ISIS,” said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “I want to thank the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metro Transit Police, and the trial team for their tireless work and dedication to this case.”
Court records say Nicholas Young, 38, was an officer with the Metro Transit Police Department.
In late July 2016, Young attempted to provide material support and resources to ISIS by buying and sending gift card codes he thought would allow ISIS recruiters to securely talk with potential ISIS recruits.
The Department of Justice says that between December 3, 2015 and December 5, 2015, Young tried to obstruct and impede and official proceeding. Young believed that an associate of his, who was actually an FBI confidential human source, had successfully joined ISIS in 2014.
During an FBI interview, Young was told that the FBI was investigating the FBI’s confidential source. Officials say Young attempted to deceive investigators as to the destination and purpose of his “associate’s” travel in order to thwart the source’s prosecution.
In November 2014, Young attempted to obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding of the Grand Jury by sending a text to the source’s cell phone in order to make it falsely appear to the FBI that the source had left the United States to go on vacation in Turkey. However, Young believed the confidential human source had gone to Turkey and then to Syria in order to join and fight for ISIS.
Young faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison when sentenced on February 23, 2018.
