Major Achievements in the Courtroom: Terrorism Cases: United States v. Zachary Chesser

United States v. Zachary Chesser

United States Department of Justice

Eastern District of Virginia United States v. Zachary Chesser

2012

United States Department of Justice

Offices of the United States Attorneys Briefing Room

National Security

Major Achievements in the Courtroom: Terrorism Cases

Eastern District of Virginia

United States v. Zachary Chesser

Zachary Chesser was a resident of the Eastern District of Virginia and an American convert to Islamic extremism. Chesser became an avid supporter of the designated foreign terrorist organization al-Shabaab in Somalia. Two times Chesser unsuccessfully attempted to travel to Somalia to join the terrorist group. Chesser also posted prolific jihadist messages on the Internet, threatening the lives of the creators of the television show South Park and of the Facebook supporters of “.” Chesser solicited others to engage in hoax bomb threats by leaving suspicious-looking packages in public places. He pleaded guilty in February 2011 to charges of communicating threats over the Internet, soliciting hoax threats, and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and was sentenced to a term of 25 years of imprisonment.

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