Federal agents arrested Jessica Bowie after an undercover investigation that authorities say stopped an ISIS-inspired bombing plot before an attack occurred.
ALBANY, NY — Federal authorities have charged a 35-year-old Albany woman with attempting to provide material support to ISIS after the FBI said she planned an explosive attack on the New York State Capitol aimed at killing lawmakers and damaging the building.
Jessica Bowie was arrested Wednesday after an investigation lasting more than a month, according to federal authorities and court records. Investigators allege that Bowie communicated with confidential FBI sources whom she believed were connected to ISIS, discussed attacking the Capitol and conducted surveillance of the building. Authorities said the explosive device she eventually received was inert and under law enforcement control, preventing any immediate danger to the public.
Federal prosecutors charged Bowie with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. The allegations are contained in a criminal complaint and have not been proven in court. Bowie appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart and was ordered to remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending a future court appearance. Authorities said she did not appear to have a prior criminal history.
According to the complaint, FBI counterterrorism investigators identified several online accounts linked to Bowie that authorities said expressed support for terrorism beginning in May. By July 16, investigators said they had learned that she wanted assistance making explosives for an attack. A confidential source posing as an ISIS facilitator then communicated with her through an encrypted platform, according to court records.
Investigators allege Bowie made at least five visits to the Capitol grounds between July 21 and Aug. 9, taking photographs and examining the area and its security. The complaint says she ultimately focused on the state Capitol rather than Albany City Hall and wanted to strike when state senators were present. The Legislature, however, has been out of session since June, and authorities have not publicly identified a confirmed date on which an attack was to take place.
The undercover operation expanded when two additional confidential sources met Bowie in Albany, according to court records. Prosecutors say those meetings were recorded and that Bowie continued discussing an attack. One source gave her money during a trip to a hardware store, where she bought materials that investigators said she believed would be used in an explosive device. The sources remained under FBI supervision, and the device later presented to Bowie was not a functioning bomb.
Authorities also allege Bowie sought a handgun that could be concealed and used if police or security officers confronted her. During her final meeting with the confidential sources Wednesday, prosecutors say she paid for a handgun, ammunition and a magazine and received the inert explosive device she believed had been built for the attack. She was arrested before any assault on the Capitol occurred.
Craig L. Tremaroli, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Albany Field Office, said investigators believed Bowie wanted not only to kill lawmakers but also to disrupt state government. Authorities further alleged that she discussed leaving the United States after the attack and raised the possibility of future attacks on other prominent American locations. Those statements remain allegations described in the federal complaint.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday that New York had already strengthened security at the Capitol and other state government facilities amid increased threats and political violence. She thanked the FBI and New York State Police for their work in disrupting the alleged plot. Hochul said there was no immediate threat to the public following Bowie’s arrest and that state officials would continue coordinating with law enforcement.
The case remains at an early stage in federal court. Bowie is in federal custody, and the allegations against her will be tested through the judicial process. Publicly available reports did not identify a defense attorney who had commented on the allegations as of Thursday.
Author note: Last updated August 20, 2026.