Federal prosecutors say an Ohio grand jury has handed up an indictment in a foiled plot targeting a UFC event and federal officials, naming eight men accused of planning a sniper-style, mass-casualty attack that involved drones and firearms.
Federal authorities in Ohio announced an indictment charging eight people in connection with an alleged attack on a UFC Freedom250 event near the White House this past June. The case centers on a broad range of charges, including “conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists” and “conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official.” The indictment follows earlier arrests and updates the legal theory prosecutors plan to use at trial.
The Department of Justice reported that the investigation began with a focus on one suspect in Ohio, 19-year-old Tycen Proper, and then broadened as alleged operational planning came to light. FBI Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie explained the threat in stark terms: “Through this investigation, we learned the group allegedly planned to carry out a mass casualty attack involving the use of drones armed with explosives and firearms meant to shoot people fleeing in the crowds.”
According to prosecutors, the group did more than talk online—investigators say the men took active steps toward executing and then escaping from an attack. The new indictment replaces earlier charges and expands how the government will pursue accountability, spelling out alleged steps the suspects took to move from talk to action. United States Attorney Dominick Gerace emphasized that the case is about deeds, not just ideology: “The allegations in this indictment, we allege, show that these men were not simply airing grievances from behind their keyboards, and sharing like-minded political ideologies.”
Prosecutors added blunt detail about intent and targets, saying the defendants sought to kill President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other senior national and global leaders. “Rather, they took action to carry out a plot to attack the UFC Freedom250 event and to murder federal officials at the highest levels of our government,” Gerace continued. Political violence, the statement noted, has no place in public life, and the charges reflect the gravity of the alleged scheme.
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If convicted, the men face stiff federal penalties: prosecutors say the supportive terrorism conspiracy counts carry up to 15 years in prison, while the conspiracy-to-murder counts could lead to life sentences. The defendants named in the indictment are Tycen Proper, Abraham Alvarez, Daniel Eskridge, William Falkner, Jordan Rincker, Bryan Roa, Chandler D. Scaggs and Michael Thomas. They are reported to come from several states, including Nebraska, Missouri, Washington, Ohio, California and West Virginia.
Investigators say the case involved seizure of evidence tied to planning and logistics, and federal prosecutors have signaled a careful, methodical approach as the matter moves through the courts. With serious felonies on the table and the possibility of life sentences, the indictment sets the stage for a high-stakes prosecution that will test how well authorities can prove conspiracy, intent and material support for terrorism. Court appearances and pretrial filings are expected to follow as the Justice Department builds its case.
