Mississippi woman pleads guilty in ISIS case

A 20-year-old woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to provide support and personnel to a terrorist organization.

Jaelyn Delshaun Young pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge stemming from an FBI investigation into her alleged plans to join ISIS with her fiance, Muhammad Dakhlalla, 23.

As part of her plea agreement, two additional counts of attempting to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization were dismissed. Young also waived the right to appeal her sentence of up to 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine as part of the deal.

Young and  Dakhlalla were arrested last year prior to boarding a flight from Columbus, Mississippi, to Istanbul following months of online contact with undercover FBI employees posing as Islamic State members. The FBI initially made contact with Young after she posted pro-ISIS material on Twitter, including retweets of ISIS propaganda.

Believing she was speaking with ISIS recruiters, Young described herself as skilled in math and chemistry, having worked in an analytical lab, and she hoped to work as a medic for the terrorist organization. Dakhlalla aspired to become a "holy warrior," Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner said.

“After her conversion, Young distanced herself from family and friends and felt spending time with non-Muslims would be a bad influence,” prosecutors wrote.

Contact Mollie Bryant at mbryant2@gannett.com or 601-961-7251. Follow @MollieEBryant on Twitter.