UPDATE 1-U.S. Islamic State recruiter 'Umm Nutella' sentenced to four years in prison

A U.S. Islamic State recruiter known as "Umm Nutella" who double-crossed federal agents after agreeing to cooperate with them was sentenced to four years in prison on Wednesday, far less than federal prosecutors had sought.

The sentence against New Jersey-born Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, 24, imposed by U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein, was far less than the 30 to 50 years sought by prosecutors. Ceasar will get credit for the 29 months she has already served, a spokesman for the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's Office said. The sentence, which also fell below federal guidelines, came on the third day of a hearing in the 2-1/2-year-long case that prosecutors had keep under wraps until Monday.

Ceasar, who was arrested in November 2016 at Kennedy International Airport as she tried to leave the United States, pleaded guilty the following February to conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, according to documents filed in federal court in Brooklyn. She confessed to using Facebook and other platforms to connect people with Islamic State members who would help them travel to territory controlled by the group, prosecutors said.

At the time of her plea, Ceasar agreed to cooperate with the government. But while she was free on bail between April and July 2018, prosecutors said she reconnected with members of the Islamic State and other extremist groups. Faced with new charges, Ceasar pleaded guilty on March 7 to obstruction of an official proceeding, prosecutors said.