A New Jersey man, with a Catholic mom and Orthodox Jewish dad, admitted to taking part in a conspiracy to support the Islamic State group, and has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Samuel Rahamin Topaz, 24, who was a talented singer, guitar player and on the varsity football team will also will be on lifetime supervised release under the sentence imposed Tuesday.
The Fort Lee resident had pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to provide services and personnel to the Islamic State group.
He recieved a lenient sentence after cooperating extensively with federal authorities since his arrest.
Samuel Rahamin Topaz, 24, was sentened to eight years in prison after conspiring to join ISIS
Topaz was a talented musician and a varsity football player who fell in with a crowd of home grown terrorists
‘As a believer in God, I’ve shamed myself,’ said Topaz, as he stood before U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton in Newark, according to NJ.com. ‘I’ve not only hurt myself, but I’ve also hurt my family, my friends and my country. For that I truly apologize.’
Federal prosecutors say Topaz admitted he planned to travel overseas to Syria to join the group and saved money for that purpose.
Topaz discussed his plans with three other men, including Nader Saadeh, who pleaded guilty and received a 10-year prison sentence on Monday.
Saadeh left the United States in 2015 with plans to join the Islamic State group. Topaz says he and others planned to meet up with Saadeh overseas and travel together to join the group.
‘You’re very young, and very articulate,’ Wigenton told himduring sentencing.
However, she said his actions had a ‘far-reaching effects’ on his family, on his friends, and on the country.
‘You’re clearly a leader. You have an amazing musical talent. I understand life dealt you a difficult hand in terms of your father,’ she added. ‘But life goes on.’