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Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
January 28, 2026 | 1:02pm
The logo of the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation on the facade of one of its buildings.
FBI website
MANILA, Philippines — A Filipino national who is a permanent resident in the United States pleaded guilty on Tuesday, January 27, to federal charges for sending money to suspected ISIS members and illegally possessing a homemade bomb.
Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, a 29 year-old green card holder based in Long Beach, California, admitted to one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to a news release by the US Attorney's Office in the central district of California.
He has been in federal custody since August 2025.
According to his plea agreement, Villanueva began communicating in February 2025 with someone claiming to be an ISIS fighter in Syria through a social media messaging platform. The individual instructed Villanueva on how to send money to Syria.
Villanueva sent more than $1,600 in a dozen payments, knowing the money would buy ammunition, weapons and other supplies for ISIS operations, court documents show. He also discussed conducting operations for ISIS in the United States.
During a search of Villanueva's home in August 2025, law enforcement found a manufactured bomb packed with large amounts of ball bearings and metal objects including nails, screws and nuts.
"At all relevant times, Villanueva knew the bomb was considered a firearm and a destructive device under federal law, and the device was not federally registered as required by law," the release stated.
US District Judge Anne Hwang scheduled sentencing for June 17. Villanueva faces up to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization and up to 15 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Villanueva's case is being monitored by the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, according to a statement by the Department of Foreign Affairs last year when it confirmed his arrest.
