Overview

Terrence Joseph McNeil is an admitted ISIS supporter from Akron, Ohio, who distributed ISIS kill lists on U.S. soldiers. McNeil was arrested in November 2015. Kevin Johnson, “Feds: Ohio ISIL recruit called for killing U.S. military members,” USA Today, November 12, 2015, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/11/12/ohio-man-charged-isil/75658686/;
“Ohio man facing federal terrorism charges pleads guilty,” Associated Press, April 19, 2017, https://apnews.com/bf9f9fa0fecc4ebeba1d41bc6ad9e233/Ohio-man-facing-federal-terrorism-charges-pleads-guilty. According to authorities, McNeil suborned the murder of U.S. military members via social media by posting names, addresses, and pictures of approximately 100 members of the U.S. armed forces.Kevin Johnson, “Feds: Ohio ISIL recruit called for killing U.S. military members,” USA Today, November 12, 2015, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/11/12/ohio-man-charged-isil/75658686/. In April 2017, McNeil pled guilty to five counts of solicitation to commit a crime of violence and five counts of making threatening interstate communications. He faces between 15 to 20 years in prison.“Akron man pleads guilty to soliciting the murder of members of the U.S. military,” Department of Justice, April 18, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/akron-man-pleads-guilty-soliciting-murder-members-us-military;
“Ohio man facing federal terrorism charges pleads guilty,” Associated Press, April 19, 2017, https://apnews.com/bf9f9fa0fecc4ebeba1d41bc6ad9e233/Ohio-man-facing-federal-terrorism-charges-pleads-guilty;
Eric Heisig, “Akron terrorism suspect pleads guilty, agrees to serve between 15 and 20 years in prison,” Cleveland.com, April 18, 2017, http://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/index.ssf/2017/04/akron_terrorism_suspect_pleads.html.

McNeil had no criminal record prior to his arrest, but had a history of issuing threats online. McNeil operated Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr accounts which were removed due to the violent nature of his feed.Dareh Gregorian, “Wannabe ISIS jihadist from Ohio posted names, addresses of U.S. service members online, encouraged others to ‘kill them in their own lands’: officials,” Daily News, November 12, 2015, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ohio-man-called-deaths-u-s-military-members-article-1.2432943.

In late 2015, before his arrest, McNeil released the personal identifying information of U.S. officials on his social media accounts. In September, for example, McNeil posted a file on Tumblr titled “Islamic State Hacking Division,” which included the names and addresses of members of the U.S. armed forces described as “Target: United States Military.”Kevin Johnson, “Feds: Ohio ISIL recruit called for killing U.S. military members,” USA Today, November 12, 2015, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/11/12/ohio-man-charged-isil/75658686/;
“Ohio Man Arrested for Soliciting the Murder of Members of the U.S. Military,” Department of Justice, November 12, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/ohio-man-arrested-soliciting-murder-members-us-military. The following month, he posted on Twitter and Tumblr the name and address of the Navy Seal who allegedly killed Osama bin Laden.“United States of America v. Terrence Joseph McNeil, Defendant,” U.S. Department of Justice, December 8, 2015, 5, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/798191/download.

In this novel case, FBI agent Stephen Anthony said, “While we aggressively defend First Amendment rights, [Terrence McNeil] went far beyond free speech by reposting names and addresses of 100 U.S. service members, all with the intent to have them killed.”“Ohio man charged with soliciting killings of U.S. service members,” CBS News, November 12, 2015, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-man-terrence-mcneil-charged-with-soliciting-killings-of-u-s-service-members/.

After his November 12, 2015, arrest on one charge of solicitation of a crime of violence,Kevin Johnson, “Feds: Ohio ISIL recruit called for killing U.S. military members,” USA Today, November 12, 2015, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/11/12/ohio-man-charged-isil/75658686/. McNeil was charged in December 2015 on three further counts of solicitation of a crime of violence and three counts of threatening military personnel.“Ohio Man Indicted for Soliciting the Murder of Members of the U.S. Military,” https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/ohio-man-indicted-soliciting-murder-members-us-military. McNeil originally rejected a plea deal in favor of going to trial. In April 2017, however, as part of a plea deal, McNeil pled guilty to five counts of solicitation to commit a crime of violence and five counts of making threatening interstate communications. He was sentenced to 15 to 20 years in prison.“Akron man pleads guilty to soliciting the murder of members of the U.S. military,” Department of Justice, April 18, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/akron-man-pleads-guilty-soliciting-murder-members-us-military;
“Ohio man facing federal terrorism charges pleads guilty,” Associated Press, April 19, 2017, https://apnews.com/bf9f9fa0fecc4ebeba1d41bc6ad9e233/Ohio-man-facing-federal-terrorism-charges-pleads-guilty;
Eric Heisig, “Akron terrorism suspect pleads guilty, agrees to serve between 15 and 20 years in prison,” Cleveland.com, April 18, 2017, http://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/index.ssf/2017/04/akron_terrorism_suspect_pleads.html.