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Grand Jury Indicts Ohio Man Arrested For 4th Of July Terrorist Plot

Demetrius Pitts in July 2018 [North Olmsted Police Department]
A photo of Demetrius Pitts in July 2018 [North Olmsted Police Department]

Demetrius Pitts, the Ohio man accused of plotting a Fourth of July terrorist attack in Cleveland last year, has been indicted.

On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted Pitts on one count of attempting to provide material support or resources to al-Qaida, a foreign terrorist organization. The charge carries a maximum 20 year sentence.

According to the FBI, the bureau had been watching Pitts since December 2015. He was arrested July 1, 2018, after allegedly discussing possible sites for a bombing in downtown Cleveland with an undercover FBI agent.

In November, a federal magistrate judge ruled the 49-year-old is competent to stand trial.

Pitts’ attorney did not respond to a request for comment.