Extra: US Soldier Pled Guilty to Helping ISIS Then Asked for 40 Years But Gets 14 Years in SDNY

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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, 10/11 –  Cole James Bridges was arraigned on charges of helping or trying to help ISIS while in the US Army. 

   U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Lewis J. Liman held the arraignment and initial conference. Inner City Press covered it.

  Bridges, also known as Cole Gonzalez according to the complaint, pleaded not guilty through counsel.

The complaint says he searched for "badass jihadi" and put a photo of himself in a dish-dash on social media. He also proposed a propaganda video, though he did not write the script.

On June 14, 2024 Bridge in a white skull cap pled guilty to Counts 1 and 2, with a sentencing set for November 2. At the end, Judge Liman asked the Marshals if they could allow him to greet / say goodbye to his father, in the courtroom.

After much delay, Judge Liman on September 26, 2024 denied any further delay, reiterating sentencing for October 11.

On October 4, the US Attorney's Office wrote in asking for a 40 year sentence.

On October 11, Inner City Press attended and live tweeted the sentencing, thread here. Two soldiers spoke, and the defendant's father and a defense expert.

Bridges spoke and asked for the maximum. After a break, Judge Liman sentenced him to 14 years.

More details, beyond the thread, on X for Subscribers here and below the paywall / subscriber (support) line here