In a significant legal development, a federal grand jury in Columbus, Ohio, issued formal charges on Friday against eight men accused of conspiring to target the UFC Freedom 250 event. This gathering was held on June 14 in the South Lawn of the White House to mark President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
The indictment, reported by AP through Telemundo, accuses these individuals of two separate conspiracies: one for providing material support to terrorists, carrying a potential 15-year prison sentence, and another for conspiracy to commit murder on federal property, which could result in life imprisonment.
According to court documents, the plot was divided into three stages: deploying drones loaded with explosives to trigger a mass evacuation, positioning snipers to fire at fleeing guests, and finally, attempting a breach of the White House.
Among the alleged targets were Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—who ultimately did not attend—tech mogul Elon Musk, and other "high-value targets," as outlined in the federal indictment.
Mastermind Behind the Plot
The indictment names Abraham Hermosillo Álvarez, a 32-year-old Mexican national and DACA recipient residing in Omaha, Nebraska, as the alleged mastermind of the scheme. Operating under the alias "Shepherd," Hermosillo Álvarez reportedly identified sniper positions and drone launch points through messages sent via the Signal app.
The FBI tracked Hermosillo Álvarez using his TikTok username and apprehended him on June 14 at his Omaha apartment, which he shared with his wife. This arrest followed his return from a swimming pool. During a search of his residence, agents discovered a drone, a shotgun, 50 rounds of ammunition, and a flamethrower.
Defense and Prosecution Arguments
Defense attorney Stu Dornan claimed that his client had attempted to cancel the attack two days prior to the scheduled date and had not purchased transportation tickets. The prosecution countered, arguing that the cancellation attempt occurred after a co-defendant's arrest in Ohio.
The eighth suspect, Chandler D. Scaggs, 21, from Chapmanville, West Virginia, was detained this week and was allegedly assigned as one of the operation's snipers.
The other six accused are: Tycen C. Proper (19, Danville, Ohio), Daniel K. Eskridge (32, Hamilton, Missouri), William L.S. Falkner (21, Belfair, Washington), Jordan W. Rincker (28, St. Joseph, Missouri), Bryan O. Roa (25, Calimesa, California), and Michael A. Thomas (32, Pinon Hills, California).
Unraveling the Conspiracy
The plot began in May, when the group started gathering funds, firearms, ammunition, bulletproof vests, explosives, drones, and medical supplies. Authorities became aware of the threat on June 10, just four days before the event, which hosted over 4,000 guests, including at least 1,200 active-duty military personnel.
The conspirators communicated through Signal, Discord, TikTok, SimpleX, and Instagram, organizing themselves into tiers. Those in tier 1 were committed to "risking danger, breaking the law, and possibly going underground," according to the indictment.
The formal accusation aims to consolidate all cases into a single process in Ohio, which the Department of Justice had initially scattered across various districts, including Missouri, Washington, Nebraska, and California.
Federal prosecutor Don Kleine emphasized before Judge Jacqueline DeLuca, "The reason disaster was averted is because the FBI successfully intervened."
Key Questions Regarding the White House Attack Plot
What were the main objectives of the attack plot at the White House?
The plot intended to use drones with explosives to cause panic and evacuate the area, followed by sniper fire targeting fleeing attendees, and ultimately breach the White House premises.
Who is considered the mastermind of the White House attack plot?
Abraham Hermosillo Álvarez, a Mexican national and DACA recipient residing in Omaha, Nebraska, is alleged to be the mastermind, operating under the alias "Shepherd."
How did authorities become aware of the plot?
Authorities learned about the threat four days before the event, on June 10, through intelligence and monitoring of the group's communications on various platforms.