A man from the Chicago suburbs has been handed a stiff 18-year sentence for crimes that include attempting to support the terror organization ISIS and trafficking in the lethal opioid fentanyl. Jason Brown, 42, of Lombard, Ill., was facing numerous charges and opted for a plea deal last year that resulted in his conviction. According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Brown was arrested in 2019 and has been under law enforcement custody since.
During 2019, Brown engaged in drug trafficking, funneling fentanyl from California to the Chicago suburbs. In addition, he was caught with loaded handguns, part of his illegal activities. But it was his financial aid to an entity he believed was an ISIS soldier that brought him under federal scrutiny. He handed over $500 on three separate occasions, not knowing that he was actually in communication with an undercover law enforcement officer. This detail was disclosed by Morris Pasqual, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, along with an acknowledgment of the teamwork from various law enforcement agencies.
The sentencing was carried out by U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland on October 16, 2024, bringing a provisional end to a case that highlights the intersection of domestic drug crimes with international terrorism. Brown's sentence was for one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, one count of distributing fentanyl, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, as stated in the announcement.
A coalition of local, state, and national law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation and apprehension of Brown. This included the FBI's Chicago Field Office, the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office, the Chicago Police Department, and several others. The prosecution of the case saw Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn McCarthy from the Northern District of Illinois teamed up with S. Elisa Poteat from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department's National Security Division.
