2 New Jersey men, Washington man plead guilty to supporting ISIS, federal prosecutors say
NEWARK, N.J. — Two Montclair men and a Washington state man have pleaded guilty to federal terrorism-related charges stemming from a conspiracy to support the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS), U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Tomas-Kaan Jimenez-Guzel, 19, and Milo Sedarat, 21, both of Montclair, pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court in Newark. Jimenez-Guzel admitted to conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, while Sedarat pleaded guilty to concealing material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Saed Ali Mirreh, 20, of Kent, Washington, pleaded guilty July 22 in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. His case was originally filed in the District of New Jersey before being transferred to Washington for his guilty plea.
According to federal prosecutors, Jimenez-Guzel, Mirreh and other co-conspirators communicated through encrypted messaging applications between July and November 2025 and agreed to travel to Turkey before crossing into the historical region of greater Syria, known as “Sham,” to join ISIS as fighters.
Prosecutors alleged Sedarat met with Jimenez-Guzel on Oct. 18, 2025, and provided him with $500 in cash to help purchase a plane ticket for Mirreh. Authorities said Sedarat instructed Jimenez-Guzel not to bring his cellphone to the meeting and used cash rather than electronic transfers in an effort to conceal the transaction from law enforcement.
According to court documents, Jimenez-Guzel purchased a ticket to fly from Newark Liberty International Airport to Istanbul, Turkey, while Mirreh purchased a ticket from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. After authorities arrested individuals in Dearborn, Michigan, who were allegedly involved in a separate ISIS-related plot, prosecutors said the defendants accelerated their travel plans.
Jimenez-Guzel rebooked his flight to depart Nov. 5, 2025, and was arrested after arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport on Nov. 4, 2025. Mirreh was arrested later that day at his home in Washington, according to prosecutors.
“Any individual supporting ISIS or other terrorist organizations, regardless of whether it involves organizing an attack, planning to travel overseas, or funding others to join ISIS will be investigated swiftly and prosecuted. Jimenez-Guzel and Mirreh planned to travel abroad to actively fight with ISIS, and Sedarat surreptitiously provided funding for those plans. This Office is committed to disrupting foreign terrorist organizations, preventing ISIS-inspired terrorism, and holding accountable those individuals who support terrorist organizations,” U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer said.
“These men actively plotted and planned to go overseas to fight with ISIS, one of the worst terrorist organizations responsible for unspeakable violence all over the world. FBI Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force and our law enforcement partners thwarted their plans and stopped Jimenez-Guzel as he arrived at the airport. Regardless of the intent to either fight overseas or plot an attack on our soil – we will tenaciously investigate and arrest anyone supporting and conspiring with terrorists,” said Stefanie Roddy, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Newark Division.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime term of supervised release. The concealment charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime term of supervised release.
Mirreh is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 16, while Sedarat and Jimenez-Guzel are scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 2 and Dec. 3, respectively.
