Chicago man solicited minor for sex, lied about pro-Islamic State posts, prosecutors say
CHICAGO - A Chicago man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for soliciting a minor for sex and lying to the FBI about social media posts supporting the Islamic State, also known as ISIS.
Hardy Lee Browner, 37, pleaded guilty in 2023 to making a materially false statement to the FBI involving international terrorism and soliciting a minor to engage in commercial sex, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of Illinois.
A federal judge sentenced Browner last Wednesday, and ruled he undergo five years of court-supervised release after he serves his sentence.
Pro-ISIS posts, soliciting a minor
What we know:
Browner admitted in a plea agreement that he used various accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter, to communicate with individuals associated with the Islamic State, including the media arm of the terrorist group, prosecutors said.
He also used the accounts to make public posts about "jihad, martyrdom, and ISIS," prosecutors said
When FBI agents interviewed Browner about the posts, he falsely claimed he didn’t use the accounts or tried to contact the terrorist group.
Browner also attempted to traffic a minor with whom he had engaged in a sexual relationship. He communicated with the minor on Instagram, texts and phone calls, prosecutors said.
He met the child multiple times and had sex with them. He gave the minor cash and other items.
Browner also tried to traffic the minor for sex with others for money, but his crimes were discovered before the minor was trafficked.
What they're saying:
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and Julia Schwartz discussed the message they had for criminals following the sentence.
"The defendant disrespected law enforcement agents and sought to thwart the FBI’s mission in defending against terrorist organizations," they said.
About the trafficking crime, they said, "Traffickers operating today should receive the message that if you traffic children in the Chicagoland area, the sentence will be severe."