A northern Virginia man caught in a government sting trying to join the Islamic State group has been sentenced to 8 and a half years in prison.
Twenty-nine-year-old Joseph Farrokh of Woodbridge was sentenced Friday in federal court in Alexandria. He is one of about a half-dozen men from the region arrested this year on terror-related charges arising from government sting operations.
Farrokh was arrested in January at Richmond International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Chicago. Officials said once he reached Chicago, he intended to board a flight to Amman, Jordan, with an ultimate destination of Syria.
At Friday's hearing, Farrokh apologized and denounced the Islamic State group. Court papers spell out in detail how the Pennsylvania native quickly became radicalized.
Prosecutors sought at least 16 years in prison while the defense asked for a five-year term.
