Former DC Transit Cop Convicted Of Trying To Support ISIS

WASHINGTON, DC -- A former Metro Transit Police Department officer has been convicted of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).

A federal jury convicted 38-year-old Nicholas Young of Fairfax on charges that he tried to purchase and send gift card codes to fund ISIS recruiters in July 2016. He also attempted to obstruct the FBI investigation into an associate of his, investigators say.

"Between Dec. 3, 2015, and Dec. 5, 2015, Young attempted to obstruct and impede an official proceeding," according to a U.S. Justice Department statement. "In specific, Young believed an associate of his, who was actually an FBI confidential human source (CHS), had successfully joined ISIS in late 2014. During an FBI interview, Young was told the FBI was investigating the attempt of his associate (the CHS) to join ISIS. Nevertheless, in an attempt to thwart the prosecution of the CHS and himself, Young attempted to deceive investigators as to the destination and purpose of the CHS’s travel."

Young tried to obstruct a Grand Jury by sending a text message to the CHS' cell phone to make it look like the CHS had left the United States for Turkey in November 2014 to go on vacation, the statement adds.

"In actuality, Young believed the CHS had gone to Turkey and then to Syria in order to join and fight for ISIS," it states.

Young faces up to 60 years in prison, and he will be sentenced on Feb. 23.

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