West Palm Beach, Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS

Gregory Hubbard, aka Jibreel, 54, of West Palm Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty on Feb. 8, to conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Edward O’Callaghan, Special Agent in Charge Robert F. Lasky of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and members of the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), made the announcement.  The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg. 

“Individuals seeking to travel to take up arms with ISIS pose a threat to the security of all nations,” said U.S. Attorney Greenberg.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force continue to work proactively in order to stifle and disrupt any potential danger posed by terrorist organizations and their supporters.”

“Gregory Hubbard and his cohorts conspired to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization,” said Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami.  “Stopping terrorists before they can act is serious business that requires dedicated law enforcement professionals and eternal vigilance.  This vigilance includes anyone and everyone who sees or hears something that seems out of place.  If you see something, say something.”

According to the factual basis, Hubbard was arrested on July 21, 2016, at Miami International Airport where he and an FBI confidential human source (CHS) had been driven by co-defendant Jackson for a scheduled flight to Berlin, Germany.  From Berlin, Hubbard intended to travel to Syria to join ISIS. 

At various times during the conspiracy, which ran from approximately July 2015 until Hubbard’s arrest, Hubbard, and his co-defendants, Dayne Antani Christian and Darren Arness Jackson, talked with the CHS about their support for ISIS and jihad, including acts of terrorism committed by and attributed to ISIS and its supporters. During the conspiracy, Hubbard and his co-defendants including the CHS and others, practiced shooting weapons multiple times in preparation for Hubbard and the CHS traveling to Syria to join ISIS.

Hubbard faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.   A sentencing date of April 19, has been set.  Christian pleaded guilty, on March 29, 2017 to conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS, and to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Jackson pleaded guilty on April 4, 2017, to conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS.  Christian and Jackson both face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy plea.  Christian faces an additional statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for his plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Both co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced following Hubbard’s sentencing in April.

The FBI and JTTF investigated the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Transportation Security Administration; Miami International Airport Police Department; Boca Raton, Florida, Police Department; Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office; City of West Palm Beach Police Department; and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen E. Gilbert and Edward C. Nucci and Trial Attorneys Larry Schneider and Bridget Behling of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

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 on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.