An undercover NYPD employee played a critical role in the arrest of a 21-year-old man accused of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Federal authorities allege that John Michael Garza, Jr., of Midlothian, Texas, brought bomb-making materials to a meeting on Dec. 22 and provided them to an individual he thought was an ISIS “brother.” However, that “brother” was actually an undercover FBI agent.
At that meeting, Garza allegedly described how to mix the components and surround them with nails. He also offered to send an instructional bomb-building video to the undercover, as alleged in a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Shortly after Garza left the Dec. 22 meeting, he was taken into custody by law enforcement agents.
“This case is a testament to the incredible work of our federal agents, who work tirelessly to save American lives,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “ISIS’s poisonous ideology must be ripped out root and stem — anyone who tries to commit violence on ISIS’s behalf will be found, arrested, and prosecuted. You cannot hide from us.”
According to the DOJ, which cited the complaint, in mid-October, an undercover NYPD employee found a social media account that followed several pro-ISIS accounts and wrote a comment on a pro-ISIS post. This account was later determined to be Garza’s, as alleged by federal authorities.
The NYPD member proceeded to engage with Garza through social media and throughout November and December, Garza allegedly expressed support for ISIS ideology and sent multiple official ISIS media releases to the undercover.
Those same months, Garza paid the undercover small sums of cryptocurrency as he believed that the undercover was supporting ISIS causes, including the purchase of firearms and other materials, authorities allege.
In that time, Garza also allegedly shared a video depicting a suicide vehicle bombing.
Eventually, as alleged by authorities, Garza began telling the undercover of his plans to buy materials to produce explosives. The defendant allegedly told the undercover that he would buy the ingredients and agreed to meet with a second individual who he believed to support ISIS on Dec. 22.
Garza made his initial court appearance before a United States magistrate judge on Dec. 23, according to the DOJ.
If convicted, Garza faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
“Today’s charges illustrate that the threats of terrorism and extremist violence against our nation are still very real,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “The NYPD remains committed to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these networks at their source – before they can reach their murderous ends. And any person who puts American lives at risk will face justice and be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. I want to thank our undercover investigators in the NYPD, as well as our law enforcement partners in the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, for their exceptional work on this case.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Dallas Field Office and the NYPD, with assistance by FBI’s New York Field Office, Dallas Police Department, Midlothian Police Department and Euless Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Madeleine Case for the Northern District of Texas and DOJ Trial Attorney David Courchaine with the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
An attorney for Garza was unable to return a request for comment by the time of publication.