San Bernardino Shooting: 3 Arrests 'Connected to Shooter'

CORONA, CA- FBI officials raided at least two Southern California locations Thursday and arrested three people in connection to the Dec. 2 terrorist attacks that claimed 14 lives in San Bernardino.

"Three people with family connections to Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the perpetrators of the December 2, 2015 terrorist attack at the San Bernardino Inland Regional Center (IRC), were arrested this morning on federal conspiracy, marriage fraud and false statement charges," the United States Attorney's Office said in a press release this morning.

According to the Office, the following three people were arrested in connection to what they're calling a marriage fraud conspiracy:

• Mariya Chernykh, 26, of Ontario, who, according to official records, is married to Enrique Marquez, Jr., who is awaiting trial on charges of conspiring with Syed Rizwan Farook in 2011 and 2012 to provide material support to terrorists
• Tatiana Farook, 31, of Corona, who is Chernykh’s sister
• Syed Raheel Farook, 31, of Corona, who Tatiana Farook’s husband and Syed Rizwan Farook’s older brother

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller told City News Service that warrants were served in both Corona and Ontario by a task force investigating the mass shooting.

At least one warrant was served at the Corona residence of Syed Raheel Farook, who was a decorated Navy veteran, according to authorities. That's the same place where authorities served a warrant earlier this year, but no arrests were made at that time.

U.S. Attorney's officials say the three were arrested because they conspired to falsify immigration documents. If convicted of that charge, teach could face up to five years in prison.

Mariya Chernykh is also accused of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents; perjury; and two counts of making material false statements to federal agents, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Her 'husband,' Enrique Marquez, Jr. was indicted at the end of last year for not only conspiring with San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook, but for entering into a sham marriage.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says the case against the three stems from the "overall investigation" into the Inland Regional Center terrorist attack.

When they were first investigating the tragedies of Dec. 2, federal agents learned that "...Marquez agreed to marry Chernykh so she could obtain immigration benefits that were not available to her because she is a Russian citizen and did not have legal status in the United States," the office said.

“This is the latest step in the comprehensive investigation into the horrific attacks in San Bernardino last year that took the lives of 14 innocent Americans and deeply affected so many more,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker.

“As I have said previously, we owe the victims, and the entire community of San Bernardino, a thorough investigation that uncovers all criminal activity surrounding these events," she said. "Today's arrests open a new phase in the process of bringing to justice all individuals who allegedly committed crimes that were uncovered during our exhaustive investigation. The charges also reflect the importance we place on statements made to law enforcement officials during a terrorism investigation. Those who lie to or conceal material information from law enforcement officers investigating terrorist acts will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Federal authorities say that the three people were indicted just yesterday by a federal grand jury in relation to the terror investigation. They are set to be arraigned in a federal courtroom today in Riverside.

The Dec. 2 shooting rampage was carried out by Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, at the Inland Regional Center, according to authorities.

Fourteen people were killed and 22 wounded in what the FBI described as an Islamist-motivated terrorist attack. The suspects were killed in a shootout with authorities.

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