ORLANDO, Fla. —
An Orange County man suspected by the FBI of trying to hatch a terrorist plot to kill members of the U.S. military serving overseas has pleaded guilty to two federal charges in connection with the alleged plot.
Jonathan Jimenez, 28, was polite in an Orlando Federal courtroom Tuesday morning, where he admitted to tax fraud and lying to the FBI.
Jimenez admitted to a federal magistrate judge that he did talk about waging violent jihad, or holy war, against high-ranking military members overseas. But he said the talk was just "chest-thumping," to make himself look important. And he said that he lied to the FBI about it.
"I know that I have made false statements to the FBI," said Jimenez.
The judge asked what he lied about and Jimenez responded "terrorist acts."
Federal prosecutors said Jimenez's secretly recorded phone call with a confidential government source indicated that he had received terrorist training from convicted felon Marcus Robertson, the former imam of an east Orange County mosque.
Agents said the training included martial arts, firearm and knife training.
Jimenez said he wanted to die on the battlefield as a martyr, according to documents obtained by WFTV.
According to those documents Jimenez said Robertson tied the training into religious instruction, allegedly telling him it was permissible to kill U.S. military generals, and that suicide bombings were also permissible.
Jimenez claimed in court that he never intended to carry out the terrorist acts, and that he did not believe Robertson was planning to go through with any plans either.
Jimenez admitted to getting a fraudulent $5,000 tax refund, with Robertson's help, which the FBI said he was planning to use for his overseas travel expenses in the terrorist plot.
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said that Jiminez's "I didn't mean it" defense won't help with his sentence and that the FBI's terrorism evidence could hurt him.
"Even though there's not a charge of terrorism, the judge can take these factors into consideration and impose a harsher sentence," said Sheaffer
Robertson has already pleaded guilty to a weapons trafficking charge, and he faces trial in October for his alleged part in the tax fraud scheme.
Documents obtained by WFTV show the FBI said Robertson was involved in a travel network for international terrorism.
Jimenez is expected to be sentenced in a few months. He faces a maximum of 18 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000.
Prosecutors said they have made no deal with him
PREVIOUS STORY: WFTV obtains new documents in case of Imam, man facing charges in anti-terrorism investigation
WFTV
