Ohio Man Pleads Guilty To Plotting Terrorist Attack

CLEVELAND — An Ohio man has pleaded guilty to plotting a terrorist attack in Cleveland on Independence Day, the Department of Justice announced. Demetrius Nathaniel Pitts, 50, pledged his support to al Qaeda, according to court documents.

Pitts pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, threats against the president and threats against family members of the president. He will be sentenced in February 2020. Under the terms of his guilty plea, he is likely to be sentenced to 14 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release.

“This defendant admitted to plotting an attack on families and children in downtown Cleveland on Independence Day, as well as making threats against the President and his family,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “He planned to inflict pain and terror on the day we celebrate our nation’s most cherished freedoms. We remain committed to protecting our nation from people who adhere to ideologies that promulgate violence.”

The Plan

Between 2015 and 2017, Pitts expressed an anti-American sentiment on social media and a desire to recruit people to kill Americans, according to an affidavit filed in the case. He said he wanted to meet someone working with al Qaeda. In June 2018, he was introduced to an undercover FBI agent acting as a member of al Qaeda. The two met in Walton Hills and discussed launching an attack on July 4.

According to the Department of Justice, during that meeting, Pitts said: “I’m trying to figure out something that would shake them up on the 4th of July.” He later added, "What would hit them at their core? Blow up in the, have a bomb blow up in the 4th of July parade.”

Pitts sought out a map of downtown Cleveland and learned fireworks would be launched from Voinovich Park. This became his target, according to the affidavit. He then told the undercover agent he would go downtown to survey the area.

On June 26, Pitts told the undercover agent, via text message, he had learned the layout of the July 4th celebration and he now wanted to "destroy the government." He said he also planned to travel to Philadelphia to scout for a possible attack there, the affidavit said.

On June 27, Pitts gave photos and videos of his surveillance to an FBI source, then met the undercover agent and drove to downtown Cleveland, the affidavit said. During the trip, Pitts said, "And I’m gonna be downtown when the – when the thing go off. I’m gonna be somewhere cuz I wanna see it go off."

The FBI searched Pitts' phone and found videos of him pledging allegiance to al Qaeda and videos of him pointing out potential targets for an attack, including a federal building, the Coast Guard station and St. John's Cathedral. In the videos, the affidavit said, he noted that each target could be "taken off the map."

On July 1, Pitts met again with the undercover agent and said he wanted to go to Philadelphia to plot an attack there. He said a truck bomb packed with explosives, like the one used in the Oklahoma City attack, would cause maximum damage, the affidavit said.

The undercover agent said people would die in such an attack and body parts would begin flying around. According to the affidavit, Pitts responded, "I don't care." Pitts was later taken into custody on July 1.

The FBI-Cleveland Division’s Joint Terrorism Task investigated Pitts.

“Pitts has acknowledged his desire and plan to commit a terrorist attack supporting al-Qaeda in Cleveland during the July 4th parade, the very day innocent citizens would be celebrating the freedoms we have in this country,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith said. “The FBI thanks the public for reporting individuals espousing their radical beliefs that threaten our way of life. Law enforcement reminds the public, if you see something, say something, we must interrupt plans for violent attacks before they occur.”