Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced to 230 months in prison by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto in Brooklyn federal court. Ceasar faced charges of conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS, obstructing justice while on bail, and attempting to flee the United States.
John J. Durham, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, along with representatives from the Justice Department, FBI, and NYPD, announced the sentencing. Durham commented, "With today’s sentence, Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, an unrepentant ISIS recruiter, will be incarcerated for a significant period of time to protect Americans here and abroad from her violent extremism."
Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, shared that, "Today’s re-sentencing marks the end of a righteous journey that began a decade ago." Additionally, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia stated, "Her actions demonstrate little remorse for radicalizing other United States citizens and promoting ISIS's heinous ideologies."
This case involved significant efforts from the Joint Terrorism Task Force. NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch highlighted the importance of their cooperation, saying, "The level of teamwork they demonstrate each day is crucial in ensuring the security of New York City and our nation."
Ceasar’s involvement with ISIS dates back to her social media activities between January and November 2016, through which she recruited individuals for ISIS. She was arrested in November 2016 while attempting to leave the country.
In addition to her material support charge, Ceasar pleaded guilty in 2019 to obstruction and in 2022 to failing to appear in court. Her initial sentence of 48 months caused the government to appeal, leading to its vacating and resulting in the current 230-month sentence.
The government’s case was presented by Special Assistant United States Attorney Ian C. Richardson and Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Reich.
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