US v. Chesser, Zachary
Fairfax County, VA
Al-Shabaab
[EDVA] Zachary Adam Chesser (a/k/a Abu Talhah Al-Amrikee) was arrested on charges that he provided material support to Al-Shabaab, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Chesser admitted to federal agents that he attempted on two occasions to travel to Somalia to join Al-Shabaab as a foreign fighter. According to the affidavit, Chesser maintained several online profiles dedicated to extremist jihad propaganda. These profiles were allegedly used by Chesser to post pro-jihad messages and videos online. In October 2010, Chesser pleaded guilty to a three-count criminal indictment that included charges of communicating threats against the writers of the "South Park" television show, soliciting violent jihadists to desensitize law enforcement, and attempting to provide material support to Al-Shabaab. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison in February 2011.
In May 2011, Jesse Curtis Morton, (aka Younus Abdullah Mohammad) is charged with communicating threats in the "South Park" episode. Morton helped run a website, RevolutionMuslim, with Zachary Chesser. In a jointly drafted statement for the group Revolution Muslim, convicted terrorist Zachary Chesser and Morton, threatened "South Park" producers with murder over illustrated depictions of the Prophet Muhammad. Morton pleaded guilty to his role in threatening the producers of "South Park" for their depiction of the Prophet Muhammad and related charges. He was sentenced to 138 months for using the Internet to solicit murder and encourage violent extremism. In October 2013, Yousef Mohamid al-Khattab (a.k.a. Joseph Cohen) of Atlantic City, NJ, pleaded guilty to using the Internet to support violent jihad and threaten Jewish organizations. Al-Khattab helped Morton found the Revolution Muslim website in 2007.
- Zachary Chesser Second Amended Complaint for Declatory and Injunctive Relief
- Zachary Chesser Complaint for Declatory and Injunctive Relief
- Zachary Chesser Defendant's Sentencing Memo
- Youssef Al-Khattab Prosecution Position Re Sentencing
- Jesse Morton Sentencing Transcript
- Jesse Morton Judgment & Conviction
- Jesse Morton Criminal Complaint
- Zachary Chesser Statement of Facts
- Zachary Chesser Plea Agreement
- Zachary Chesser Judgment & Conviction
- Zachary Chesser Initial Complaint
- Zachary Chesser Amended Complaint
- Al-Khattab Minutes of Guilty Plea Hearing
- Al-Khattab Waiver of Indictment
- Al-Khattab Pre-Sentence Release Conditions
- Al-Khattab Plea Agreement
- Al-Khattab Statement of Facts
- Al-Khattab Criminal Information
- Al-Khattab Plea of Guilty Press Release
- Jesse Morton Sentencing Press Release
- Morton Defense Sentencing Memo
- Morton Prosecution Sentencing Memo
- Affidavit
- Jesse Morton Plea Agreement
- Jesse Morton Statement of Facts
- Jesse Morton Information
- Jesse Morton Guilty Plea Press Release
- Affidavit re Jesse Curtis Morton
- Sentencing Press Release
- Prosecution sentencing memo
- Guilty Plea Press Release
- DOJ Press Release