Michael Sam Teekaye, Jr., age 21, of Hanover, Maryland has been charged by criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B.
The defendant has been detained since his arrest on October 14, 2024, and had an initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Erin Aslan on October 15, 2024.
The charges were announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, between March and April 2023, Teekaye had multiple conversations with an Undercover Officer (“UCO”) in which he told the UCO that he wanted to travel to Africa to join and fight for ISIS.
Teekaye also told the UCO that his “plan B” was to carry out an attack in the United States against people who support Israel. On three occasions in May and June 2024, Teekaye purchased ammunition and range time at a shooting range in Severn, Maryland, which he later told the UCO was partly in order to “train.”
In July 2024, Teekaye attempted to purchase a Kalashnikov K-9 9mm rifle, but the purchase was denied because Teekaye was on probation in a state criminal case.
In conversations with the UCO between August and October 2024, Teekaye told the UCO that he was in contact with a Somali ISIS fighter regarding his plans to travel to Somalia to join ISIS. Teekaye explained that he would fly first to Turkey, then travel to Ethiopia and cross the border into Somalia. Teekaye sent the UCO screenshots of an Ethiopian e-Visa he had obtained from the ISIS fighter.
On October 4, 2024, Teekaye told the UCO that he received airline tickets from the ISIS fighter. He also sent the UCO screenshots of his travel itinerary showing that he would depart from Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) on October 14, 2024 and fly to Istanbul, Turkey with a layover in London.
On October 10, 2024, Teekaye sent the UCO a photo of himself wearing a black mask and holding a large machete, along with the caption “Abdullah the islamophobe slayer.”
On October 11, 2024, the UCO asked whether Teekaye was “sure” he wanted to join ISIS. Teekaye responded, “I am sure I did a lot of research and had to accept something’s [sic] that they are the only group that has the most true and sincere intentions.”
On October 14, 2024, FBI agents arrested Teekaye at BWI after he had checked in for his flight and proceeded through security. Following his arrest, Teekaye made the following unprovoked statements, among others: “I’ll just get out in 20 years and do something here. Okay? Okay? It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. . . . I’ll be like 40 when I get out, then I’ll just do it. I don’t care. It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. I’ll come and I’ll kill your soldiers. I’ll kill you, and I’ll kill . . . .” While making these statements, Teekaye began kicking one of the arresting agents.
A complaint is not a finding of guilt. All defendants charged by complaint are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Teekaye faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office for its outstanding work in the investigation and praised the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force along with the FBI’s Newark and Richmond Field Offices, and the New York City Police Department (NYPD), for their valuable assistance.
Mr. Barron would like to thank the NYPD’s Intelligence Division under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner, Assistant Chief John Hart, and Deputy Chief Fernando Guimaraes. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina Hoffman and P. Michael Cunningham, who are prosecuting this case. Mr. Barron also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division for their assistance.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. To report a Maryland-based hate crime, contact the FBI Baltimore field office at (410) 265-8080 or www.tips.fbi.gov
