South Florida Resident Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to Terrorists

Miami, Florida – A 29-year-old man has pled guilty in federal district court in Miami to attempting to materially support terrorism, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2339A. 

According to court documents, Samuel Baptiste attempted to provide material support to a terrorist act through the use of an explosive device by providing information on November 6, 2016 pertaining to the construction of explosive devices by posting internet links and portions of a manual containing specific instructions on the construction of explosives, to persons whom he believed were acting on behalf of ISIS. 

At sentencing, Baptiste faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.  Sentencing has been scheduled for January 5, 2021 at 1:30pm in front of the Honorable Jose E. Martinez, in Miami, Florida.

Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, announced the guilty plea.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc S. Anton and Michael Thakur.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number: 18-cr-20613.

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