Foiled Terror Plot Ends in 18-Year Federal Prison Sentence for Idaho Man
Alexander Scott Mercurio, a 21-year-old resident of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, will spend the next 18 years in a federal prison followed by the rest of his life on supervised release.
U.S. District Judge David C. Nye handed down the sentence after an FBI investigation uncovered that Mercurio had pledged allegiance to ISIS and planned to attack local churches in the terrorist group's name.
Mercurio pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Court records reveal that he intended to carry out a mass-casualty strike on Coeur d'Alene churches on April 7, 2024. His operational plan included initially attacking his own father to obtain access to firearms for the assault.
Law enforcement intervened before the violence could occur. After Mercurio recorded a pledge of allegiance to ISIS, the FBI apprehended him on April 6, 2024, just one day before the scheduled attack. A subsequent search of his home yielded weapons, tactical gear, and ISIS-related materials, bringing a swift end to the domestic terror plot.
Sources and Links
U.S. Department of Justice Press Release: https://justice.gov
U.S. Attorney's Office District of Idaho Release: https://justice.gov
