A Stockton man, Ammaad Akhtar, 33, was arrested and charged with attempting to send weapons, money, and clothing to ISIS, federal prosecutors said.

Akhtar was arrested Tuesday and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California.

According to court documents, since February 2025, Akhtar has communicated online with an individual controlled by law enforcement, whom he believed to be a member of ISIS. In these conversations, Akhtar expressed support for ISIS and jihad, expressed a desire to travel abroad to join and fight with ISIS, and stated a desire to send weapons and money to ISIS.

In April 2025, during this investigation, Akhtar demonstrated a desire to support ISIS and did so by providing funding on multiple occasions. Following several payments, the individual controlled by law enforcement indicated that ISIS had acquired several weapons with the money Akhtar had sent him. In his response, Akhtar said, "May Allah destroy our enemies" and stated that he would send more money that same day.

Akhtar also discussed planning violent acts, including an attack against a specific individual and an attack involving homemade explosives. He said he “wants to die for the cause of Allah fighting the kuffar [infidels]” and asked for instructions on how to make a homemade explosive device to “cause a big commotion” at a crowded event.

Then, on June 23, 2025, Akhtar met with an individual he believed to be associated with ISIS, but who was actually an undercover operative. Akhtar provided him with clothing, binoculars, $400 in cash, two loaded guns, and six extra magazines. Akhtar swore bayat (a pledge of allegiance) to ISIS.

If convicted, Akhtar faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.