Eight men were indicted on July 9 in Ohio on charges of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory, including the murder of a federal official. The charges stem from an alleged plot to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event held on the White House lawn on June 14, 2026.
The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, consolidates earlier charges filed in multiple states, including Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, California, Washington, and West Virginia. The defendants—Abraham H. Alvarez, Daniel K. Eskridge, William L. S. Falkner, Tycen J. Proper, Jordan W. Rincker, Bryan O. Roa, Chandler D. Scaggs, and Michael A. Thomas—are accused of planning a drone and sniper attack targeting President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and tech mogul Elon Musk, among others.
According to the indictment, the group began planning the attack in May 2026, amassing firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment, and communications gear. The plot allegedly involved deploying explosive-laden drones to cause panic and divert crowds toward a pre-staged sniper team, followed by a storming of the White House. Law enforcement thwarted the attack after learning of the threat on June 10, four days before the event.
The FBI confirmed the plot's interception, and at least five individuals were taken into custody, with 23 others identified as potential co-conspirators. The group allegedly communicated through encrypted platforms like Signal, SimpleX, Discord, TikTok, and Instagram. One defendant, William L. S. Falkner, was arrested in Washington state and accused of assisting with drone manufacturing and piloting.
The indictment represents an effort by the government to streamline the case into a single prosecution in Ohio. The defendants' ages range from 19 to 32, and they reside across multiple states. The plot is believed to have been motivated by fringe conspiracy theories aimed at destabilizing the government.