CHICAGO — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)), published as received.

CHICAGO — A defendant has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for soliciting a minor to engage in commercial sex and lying to the FBI about social media postings supportive of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

HARDY LEE BROWNER, 37, of Chicago, pleaded guilty in 2023 to one count of making a materially false statement to the FBI involving international terrorism and one count of soliciting a minor to engage in commercial sex.  U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood imposed the sentence on Wednesday and ordered that it be followed by five years of court-supervised release.

Browner admitted in a plea agreement that Browner used various accounts on the social media site formerly known as Twitter to communicate with individuals associated with ISIS, including a media arm of the terrorist group.  Browner also used the accounts to make public posts regarding, among other topics, jihad, martyrdom, and ISIS.  When FBI agents interviewed Browner about the posts, Browner falsely claimed not to have used the accounts and not to have communicated with certain Twitter users, including the ISIS media arm.

The solicitation charge relates to Browner’s attempt to traffic a minor with whom Browner had engaged in a sexual relationship.  Browner communicated with the minor on Instagram and through texts and phone calls.  Browner then met the minor on multiple occasions and had sex with the minor.  Browner sometimes gave the minor cash or other items of value.  Browner also took steps to traffic the minor for sex with others for money, although Browner’s crimes were discovered before the minor was trafficked.

The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.

“The defendant disrespected law enforcement agents and sought to thwart the FBI’s mission in defending against terrorist organizations,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and Julia Schwartz argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.  With regard to the solicitation, the prosecutors argued, “Traffickers operating today should receive the message that if you traffic children in the Chicagoland area, the sentence will be severe.”