CALIFORNIA—On November 2, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the sentence of Mark Steven Domingo, 28, of Reseda, California. According to a DOJ press release, Domingo was sentenced to 25 years in Federal Prison for plotting the bombing at a Long Beach at a political rally.
The rally was a Freedom of Speech rally that was referred to as a “White Nationalist,” or “White Supremacist” by multiple media outlets. The rally was cancelled once the informants in the FBI were reportedly in the know of the potential threats.
Counter-protestors posted on social media that they “felt the need to make an appearance.” Reports by participants indicate the counter-protestors marched silently without any ramifications.
On August 11, Domingo was found guilty of one count of providing material support to terrorists and one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and mass murder at a nationalist rally planned to take place in Long Beach.
The suspect has been in federal custody since April 2019.
According to reports, Domingo, was a former U.S. infantryman who has previously been deployed with the U.S. Army in Iraq.
On April 26, 2019, law enforcement officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigations Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) worked jointly with the following agencies to foil a domestic terrorist operation targeting several locations including the bombing planned for a political rally held in Long Beach in April 2019.
The JTTF participated in the investigation along with; the FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Long Beach Police Department.
According to the DOJ, on an online forum, Domingo “expressed support for violence, specifically a desire to seek violent retribution for attacks against Muslims, and a willingness to become a martyr.
After considering his various attacks, including targeting Jewish people, Churches, and police officers, Domingo decided to bomb a rally scheduled to take place in Long Beach.”
The following statements came directly from the DOJ press release:
“Domingo received what he thought were two live bombs, but were actually inert explosive devices delivered by an undercover law enforcement officer. He was arrested that same day with one of the bombs in his hands.”
“At trial [Domingo] testified and repeatedly affirmed that he intended to commit mass murder in March and April 2019.”
The prosecutors wrote the following sentencing memorandum recommending life in prison:
”He admitted that the [confidential informant] stopped him from committing at least one in April 2019 by encouraging him to be patient.
Finally, he admitted that he was excited when he learned that the [confidential informant] had access to an individual who could construct a bomb and that he [Domingo] was the one who chose to attack the rally, chose to use the bombs, and chose to go through with the plot to commit murder, right up until the moment of his arrest.”
