Paul Ventura was about to depart his Wakefield house Thursday morning when the FBI confirmed up in search of his 18-year-old son Mateo.
Hours later, the dad opened as much as reporters for greater than 20 minutes outdoors the federal courthouse in Worcester about how he believes the feds are entrapping his son, whom he repeatedly referred to as a “loyal American.”
Mateo Ventura was arraigned Thursday afternoon on fees that he allegedly offered help to terrorism within the type of a string of present playing cards to a supposed ISIS agent for resale on the darkish internet, in response to federal authorities.
Paul Ventura mentioned it was all a shock.
“He is a soft-hearted kid. He wants to help people,” Paul Ventura mentioned of Mateo. “He’s not afraid to tell me anything. If he did something wrong, he would’ve said ‘Dad, I did something wrong.’ If he did it, he did it unintentionally.”
Mateo Ventura was charged with one depend of concealing terrorist financing by the US. Attorney’s workplace in Boston.
Ventura offered “multiple gift cards to an individual he believed was an ISIS supporter,” however in actuality, he was speaking with an undercover FBI agent, in response to federal paperwork.
The feds say Ventura offered a complete of $1,670 in present playing cards to the agent: $965 as a juvenile and $705 after his 18th birthday, in response to courtroom paperwork. The present playing cards ranged from Google Play playing cards to Gamestop, Amazon and Dick’s Sporting Goods, charging paperwork state.
Paul Ventura mentioned he’s uncertain the place his son “got the money,” however defined “I give him a card for when I’m not home because I’m a single dad. He has a card that he (uses) for food and stuff. He’s home all the time.”
The father continued, “So, it’s almost like I think they put something in front of him and sucked him in. He is not a terrorist. He is a loyal American, 100%.”
Mateo was born untimely and has developmental challenges, Paul Ventura mentioned. He claimed his son was bullied all through his childhood, and faculty officers by no means addressed the household’s issues.
Mateo is fascinated by historical past, Paul Ventura mentioned, including he doesn’t know what faith his son practices.
“Everything with him is history; all of the wars, all of the things going on, everything. It’s just history, history, history.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”