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San Bernardino shooting: Enrique Marquez indicted on 5 charges
In this courtroom sketch, Enrique Marquez appears in federal court in Riverside, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015.
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Bill Robles/AP
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Enrique Marquez Jr. has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring with San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook in 2011 and 2012 to provide material support to terrorists, two counts of false statements made when purchasing two assault rifles later used in the San Bernardino attack and other charges, according to a release from the United States Attorney's Office.
"This indictment demonstrates that we will hold accountable all individuals who collaborate with terrorists in executing their plans," U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker said in the release. She noted that Marquez's previous plotting with Farook and purchasing both guns and explosive powder "provided the foundation for the murders that occurred this month."
Marquez, 24, was indicted on five counts. The material support and resources Marquez is charged with providing include weapons, explosives and personnel, according to the release. Other counts include charges of marriage fraud and making a false statement on immigration paperwork in relation to the alleged sham marriage with a member of Farook's family.
"Mr. Marquez is charged for his role in a conspiracy several years ago to target innocent civilians in our own backyard with cold-blooded terror attacks, and with providing weapons to an individual whose endgame was murder," Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office David Bowdich said in the release. "The covert nature of the defendant’s alleged actions is a stark reminder of the challenges we face in preventing attacks planned in the name of violent jihad, and underscores the critical need for those with knowledge about terror plots to come forward."
The two guns Marquez is charged with purchasing for Farook include two 5.56-caliber rifles: a Smith and Wesson M&P-15 Sport rifle and a DPMS A-15 rifle. They were both used in the Dec. 2 attack.
The alleged sham marriage includes Marquez entering into the marriage in November 2014 and signing an immigration form on July 17, 2015 stating that he was living with this person in Corona when he was not actually living there, according to the release.
Marquez is being held on no bail. He is set to be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Riverside on Jan. 6.
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The material support to terrorists charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years, while the false statements in relation to firearms purchases carry maximum penalties of 10 years, the marriage fraud has a maximum sentence of five years and the false statement on immigration paperwork charge has a maximum sentence of 10 years, according to the release. That means that Marquez could face up to 50 years in prison.
The attack in San Bernardino by Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik at the Inland Regional Center on Dec. 2 left 14 victims dead, wounding 22 others.
Read the full indictment below:
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