Alexander Justin White, 30, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison after attempting to travel overseas to join ISIS and providing material support to the group, following an investigation that tracked his online recruitment efforts, fundraising activities, and a failed attempt to board a flight bound for North Africa.

A federal court found White guilty of conspiring to provide and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and imposed an eight-year federal prison sentence. Authorities say his conduct included active steps toward travel, communications to recruit and radicalize others, and financial moves intended to support extremist operations.

Law enforcement intercepted White while he tried to fly to North Africa to join ISIS and fight in territory controlled by the group. According to court records, agents arrested him at the airport as he prepared to board his flight, carrying equipment he intended to use overseas.

“The United States does not tolerate terrorism in any form,” U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle said. “Whether keyboard warriors or wannabe fighters, the Department of Justice and FBI will relentlessly bring them to justice. This sentence shows our unwavering commitment to eradicating such evil from our country and the globe.”

Federal filings state that between May and October of 2024 White made numerous posts supporting ISIS and jihad, including videos used to recruit new members and inflame interest in fighting. Prosecutors also allege he posted and reposted material naming or referencing well-known ISIS supporters and enablers while urging others toward violent action.

Investigators say White attempted several financial transactions and fundraising efforts to benefit terrorist camps and operations tied to ISIS. Those alleged transfers and fundraising moves are central to the material support charges and illustrate how online radicalization can translate into real-world funding for violent groups.

According to charging documents, White openly discussed his desire and intention to travel overseas to join ISIS on Facebook and encrypted messaging apps. He described wanting to be a “Mujahid,” a term meaning someone who commits jihad, and he expressed willingness to kill U.S. military members and citizens.

Officials say White bought a ticket to North Africa and purchased equipment he planned to use once abroad. The arrest happened when agents intercepted him at the airport, preventing him from boarding and ensuring the planned travel and deployment never occurred.

“White planned to abandon his family, betray his country, and fly to Morocco to actively fight with the terrorist group ISIS. Thankfully, the FBI Raleigh-Durham Joint Terrorism Task Force intervened and arrested him at the airport before he could board his flight. It cannot be overstated that ISIS continues to pose a threat to U.S. interests, both domestically and abroad. We must continue to be vigilant to prevent ISIS-inspired terrorism,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

The case was handled by the FBI’s Raleigh-based Joint Terrorism Task Force, a local fusion of investigators, analysts, linguists, and specialists from many state and federal agencies. The JTTF model aims to gather intelligence, make arrests, collect evidence, and respond to imminent threats, and there are roughly 200 JTTFs across the country tied to each field office.

Ellis Boyle announced the sentencing after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II imposed the eight-year term. Officials highlighted the coordinated investigative work that exposed White’s online activity, his financial moves, and his travel preparations before he could leave U.S. soil.

The prosecution emphasized that the sentence reflects both the seriousness of attempting to join and materially support a foreign terrorist organization and the need to deter similar plots. Authorities say this conviction underscores ongoing law enforcement efforts to identify and stop individuals who move from extremist rhetoric into concrete plans to join and assist violent groups abroad.