ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Romeo Langhorne is accused of supporting ISIS and using his allegiance to try to help others build bombs and get away with it.
Langhorne, 30, was arrested in Virginia last week after a lengthy FBI investigation. He still has an address and ties to St. Augustine.
Former neighbors in St. Augustine were taken back by the FBI’s allegations.
“He was always, like, shady,” said Charles Serecka. “Always looking around.”
The News4Jax I-TEAM obtained a 51-page federal complaint, charging Langhorne with attempting to provide material support to ISIS after a years-long investigation by an undercover agent.
In it, the feds call Langhorne a "long-time ISIS adherent" who tried to teach that agent how to record and post videos on how to build bombs.
He wrote in an online peer-to-peer messenger:
“Proper videos are needed...better videos on how and why Jihad is needed.”
“My recommendation is the utilization of a school, claim to be a science teacher there and pay for said equipment with an old burner Visa card.”
Agents claim Langhorne posted ISIS-related materials on his social media, like a banner on Facebook and Twitter which says “seeking to kill and to be killed.”
The logo says, in Arabic, “Therefore, kill them.”
Another image on his Facebook page shows an explosion in the Middle East.
The man, who lived in St. Augustine for years, was arrested at his home near Roanoake, Va. where he moved months ago. He remains in custody there.
"The FBI has to take this seriously because you just never know when someone is going to act," said Toni Chrabot, a former supervisor with the agency.
Chrabot, who now runs the Risk Confidence Group, says the terrorist organization preys on rogue Americans to inspire attacks from within.
“This is such an important action by the FBI because it really shows the continued effort by ISIS and ISIS supporters to continue to try to inspire and provide knowledge and the how-to of how to commit a terrorist attack.”
News4Jax found a Twitter message to New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2015 from Langhorne’s mother where she wrote that her son is mentally ill and needs help. She asked the government to please not hurt him. She didn’t answer when News4Jax tried calling her Monday.