Federal and local law enforcement arrested 21-year-old John Michael Garza Jr. of Midlothian, Texas, after an undercover operation that allegedly stopped him from sending funds and bomb-making materials to ISIS. The operation involved multiple agencies working together and included an in-person meeting that led to his arrest on December 22. Authorities say Garza provided detailed instructions about mixing components and offered an instructional video, believing he was helping an ISIS associate. He now faces federal charges tied to international terrorism and a possible 20-year sentence if convicted.
The sting unfolded during the Christmas week operation, carried out with the New York Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Midlothian Police Department, Euless Police Department, and FBI field offices in New York and Dallas. Investigators say Garza shared propaganda, sent cryptocurrency he believed would support terrorist activity, and tried to hand over materials intended for explosive devices. He met an undercover agent he thought was an “ISIS brother” and gave specifics on how to mix bomb components, plus the promise of an instructional video to guide construction. Authorities moved in shortly after that meeting and arrested him on site.
FBI Director Kash Patel posted about the arrest on X, highlighting the multi-agency effort that led to the takedown. The official announcements stress that the suspect believed he was aiding a designated foreign terrorist organization and that his actions crossed into federal territory because of the international nature of ISIS. Prosecutors have framed the case as an example of how online radicalization can translate into real-world harm, and they emphasize the importance of regional FBI presence and coordinated local policing to prevent attacks.
The @FBI and our partners have arrested a 21-year-old alleged ISIS sympathizer in Texas – following a terrorism investigation into attempts to provide bomb-making components and financial support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
The subject allegedly shared ISIS propaganda, sent cryptocurrency believing it would fund terrorist activity, and attempted to deliver materials intended for explosive devices. This is radical Islamic terrorism, and it was identified and stopped.
Great work by our FBI teams @FBIDallas and great law enforcement partners.
Justice Department statements say the charge against Garza is an international terrorism offense because the assistance was allegedly meant for a designated foreign terrorist group. Prosecutors publicly described the evidence as including both material support in the form of parts and purported financial transfers. Attorney General Pamela Bondi and other officials framed the case as proof that federal agents and partners are actively identifying and stopping those who try to carry out attacks on behalf of extremist groups. The government has signaled it will pursue the maximum penalties available if the facts support conviction.
An alleged ISIS sympathizer has been federally charged with an international terrorism offense after providing bomb components and money to individuals he believed were acting on behalf of a designated foreign terrorist organization.
“This case is a testament to the incredible work of our federal agents, who work tirelessly to save American lives,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “ISIS’s poisonous ideology must be ripped out root and stem — anyone who tries to commit violence on ISIS’s behalf will be found, arrested, and prosecuted. You cannot hide from us.”
“Today’s announcement underscores the FBI’s commitment to combatting terrorism and demonstrates our continuous work to disrupt and thwart terrorist plots against the American public,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Let this serve as a warning to those who plan to conduct attacks against the United States on behalf of terrorist organizations – you will be brought to justice.”
“The increasing threats of harm and destruction in our country made by those aligned with violent ideologies must be stopped,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “An alleged ISIS sympathizer has been federally charged with an international terrorism. This operation is but one example highlighting the necessity of vigilant observation and swift action to halt what could have been a devastating outcome. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to take prompt action against those attempting to carry out alleged terrorist missions.”
Officials point to this arrest as proof the FBI’s regional strategy is working, saying agents have been pushed out of Washington and into field offices to better detect local threats. That shift, they argue, has helped prevent several plotted attacks around the country in recent months. Local law enforcement involvement was central here, with the NYPD and multiple Texas agencies coordinating in real time to make the arrest quickly and safely.
“The FBI worked alongside our law enforcement partners to quickly arrest an individual who intended to provide bomb making materials to a foreign terrorist organization,” said Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of FBI Dallas. “Protecting the Homeland is a top priority for the FBI. This arrest demonstrates our commitment to safeguarding our communities from terrorism.”
“Today’s charges illustrate that the threats of terrorism and extremist violence against our nation are still very real,” said Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch of the New York Police Department (NYPD). “The NYPD remains committed to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these networks at their source – before they can reach their murderous ends. And any person who puts American lives at risk will face justice and be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. I want to thank our undercover investigators in the NYPD, as well as our law enforcement partners in the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, for their exceptional work on this case.”
Garza made his first federal court appearance on December 23 and faces a probable cause and detention hearing. The prosecution team includes Assistant U.S. Attorney Madeleine Case and trial attorney David Courchaine from the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism section. If convicted, the statute carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, underscoring how seriously authorities treat material support and attempted weapons transfers linked to terrorism.
This case highlights the intersections of online radical content, cryptocurrency, and the practical dangers of people attempting to convert extremist sympathy into violent action. Law enforcement officials emphasize vigilance and rapid response as key tools to prevent loss of life. The investigation and arrest also show how coordinated operations between federal and local partners remain central to identifying and stopping those who move from online rhetoric to real-world plotting.
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