Guled Omar, 22, described as a leader of a group of nine who plotted to fight for the Islamic State group, or ISIS, was sentenced to 35 years in prison by a federal judge on Wednesday, CBS News reports.
Omar, of Minnesota, was one of nine defendants found guilty of a plot involving travel to Syria to fight for the Islamic State group. Of the nine defendants who appeared before U.S. District Judge Michael Davis, Omar drew the longest sentence.
"I understand the seriousness of what I’ve been convicted of, and I understand that I will not be able to go home anytime soon,” Omar told the judge while awaiting his sentence. “I always had energy for justice as a young man, but I lost my way."
According to CBS News, Davis didn't believe a word Omar said.
Two of the other nine defendants were sentenced earlier Wednesday. Both Mohamed Farah and Abdirahman Daud received 30 years in prison each.
The six other defendants pleaded guilty instead of going to trial and were sentenced to terms ranging from time served to 15 years.
Read more at CBS News.