Court Case

USA v. Hester, Robert Lorenzo

February 2017 (Updated March 4, 2020)
Jefferson City, MO
Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS)

[WDMO] Robert Lorenzo Hester of Jefferson City, MO, was charged with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Hester was enlisted in the U.S. Army for less than a year, receiving a general discharge from service in mid-2013. According to the affidavit, the investigation began when the FBI became aware (through multiple confidential sources) of Hester's social media posts, in which he expressed animus towards the U.S. and suggested an adherence to radical Islamic ideology and a propensity for violence. Hester used several online aliases, including "Mohammed Junaid Al Amreeki," "Junaid Muhammad," "Rabbani Junaid Muhammad," "Rami Talib" and "Ali Talib Muhammad." Hester communicated to a confidential source via social media, text and an encrypted messaging app saying the U.S. government should be "overthrown" and suggesting "hitting" the government "hard," while noting that it would not be "a one man job." Citing his brief enlistment in the U.S. Army, Hester claimed proficiency with "assault weapons" and said that his favorite firearm was the AK-47 rifle. Hester pleaded guilty to his role in making preparations to launch a terrorist attacks with persons he believed to be ISIS members and was sentenced to 19 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to ISIS.

Case Updates

2020-03-04 | Missouri Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

A Columbia, Missouri, man was sentenced to 19 years in prison in federal court on Wednesday for his role in making preparations to launch a terrorist attack with persons he believed were members of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), but who were actually undercover law enforcement employees. Robert Lorenzo Hester pleaded guilty last September to attempting to provide material support to ISIS from October 2016 to Feb. 17, 2017, knowing that it was a designated foreign terrorist organization. Hester drew the attention of law enforcement through advocating violence on social media, and when contacted by undercover officers, he immediately showed that he wanted action in addition to words. Law enforcement engaged Hester to see if he was truly committed to an act of terrorism, and his responses left no doubt that he was. Hester, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in February 2017, is a U.S. citizen. He was enlisted in the U.S. Army for less than a year, receiving a general discharge from service in mid-2013.

2019-09-24 | Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

Robert Lorenzo Hester of Columbia, Missouri, pleaded guilty to his role in making preparations to launch a terrorist attack with persons he believed were members of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), but who were actually undercover law enforcement employees. According to the plea agreement, Hester had posted a variety of material on multiple social media accounts. He indicated that he had converted to Islam, expressed animus toward the United States, and posted photos of weapons and the ISIS flag, among other material, suggesting an adherence to radical Islamic ideology and a propensity for violence. In conversations with FBI undercover agents, Hester said that the U.S. government should be "overthrown," and he suggested "hitting" the government "hard," while noting that it would not be "a one man job." He also identified categories of potential targets for attack, including "oil production," "military bases," "federal places," "government officials," and "Wall Street."

Case Documents