ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A Morganton teen spoke with a Syria-based ISIS member over social media in the weeks leading up to his 2015 arrest, according to a new indictment Tuesday.
A federal grand jury reached a superseding indictment of Justin Sullivan. The new indictment brings additional charges.
Prosecutors first charged him in June 2015, basing those charges largely on conversations Sullivan had with an undercover FBI agent. Federal agents said Justin watched video of ISIS attacks, including beheadings.
They said he planned to launch large-scale attacks and kill hundreds of people. He was even ready to kill his parents if they got in his way, but he wanted to practice killing first, agents said.
Police also said he used his father's rifle to kill his neighbor, Johnny Clark, 74, then buried Clark's body in Clark's backyard.
The superseding indictment includes two alleged violations titled conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism transcending nation boundaries.
Sullivan "communicated with Syrian-based ISIL member Junaid Hussain" who is also known as Abu Hussain Al-Britani, the indictment said.
An arraignment on the new charges has not been scheduled.
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