A North Carolina man was arrested Thursday after allegedly trying to recruit people to conduct a terror attack in the United States on behalf of the Islamic State, according to a Justice Department statement.

Erick Jamal Hendricks contacted someone who pledged allegiance to the group over social media in the spring of 2015. Hendricks told that person he "needed people" and he wanted to meet in person.

Hendricks stated that there were several "brothers" located in Texas and Mexico, and wanted "to get brothers to train together." He also asked about his contact's willingness to commit "jihad," die as a "martyr" and enter "jannah" (paradise).

The individual believed that Hendricks and the "brothers in Texas and Mexico" were responsible for a foiled terror attack in Garland, Texas, on May 3, 2015. Justice said Hendricks used social media to contact Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi who launched the terror attack in Garland, Texas at the "First Annual Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest". Soofi and Simpson wounded a security guard before police opened fire and killed the two.

Hendricks did not know at the time that he was in contact with an undercover FBI agent.

Hendricks communicated with several other individuals online. He told one person that his goal was to create a sleeper cell where recruits would be trained and housed at a secure compound, and then conduct attacks in the U.S. Potential targets were military members whose information had been released by the Islamic State.

If convicted, Hendricks faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for providing material support to the terrorist group.