LOS ANGELES
A 28-year-old Long Beach man was arrested this week on a federal complaint alleging he sent a dozen payments totaling $1,615 to suspected ISIS fighters overseas.
Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, a lawful permanent U.S. resident from the Philippines, is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization — a felony punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to prosecutors, Villanueva communicated on social media with individuals claiming to be ISIS fighters. He pledged allegiance to ISIS, expressed a desire to join the fight, and offered to fund their operations. “It’s an honor to fight and die for our faith,” he reportedly said. “Someday soon, I’ll be joining.”
He also claimed to possess weapons and a bomb. During his arrest, FBI agents recovered what appeared to be an explosive device in his bedroom.
Villanueva is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.