A Texas man allegedly delivered bomb-making components and cash to undercover agents he believed were members of the terrorist organization ISIS, authorities said.
On Monday, December 22, 21-year-old John Michael Garza was arrested when he met an undercover FBI agent.
Garza had allegedly earlier given the agent instructions on how to assemble a shrapnel-laden device.
Less than 24 hours later, Garza appeared in court in the Northern District of Texas and was charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said this case highlighted that people cannot hide from federal authorities.
“This case is a testament to the incredible work of our federal agents, who work tirelessly to save American lives,” she said.
“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,” she said in a statement.
Embattled FBI Director Kash Patel added that this case proved the administration was following through on promises to tackle extremism.
“[Monday’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,” he said.
The case began mid-October 2025, according to Fox4News, when an undercover New York City Police Department employee flagged a social media account allegedly belonging to Garza.
The account followed pro-ISIS pages and engaged with extremist content.
The NYPD undercover agent engaged with Garza on social media, and he described himself as a 21-year-old Mexican-American living in Texas.
From that point on, Garza allegedly sent official ISIS media releases to the agent, which included videos of suicide bombings and instructional materials on how to build explosives.
It is also alleged that Garza sent cryptocurrency to the agent, thinking the funds would buy firearms to support the terrorist group’s missions.
When Garza met the agent last Monday, he allegedly handed over bomb components and referred to him as an ISIS “brother.” He also allegedly told the agent how to mix the chemicals and suggested surrounding the device with nails to increase its lethality.
Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch of the New York Police Department said this case shows how committed agents were to uncovering alleged terrorists.
“The NYPD remains committed to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these networks at their source – before they can reach their murderous ends,” she said.
“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.”
