The Justice Department said the FBI disrupted a plan to target officials at UFC Freedom 250; all five defendants are charged and presumed innocent unless proven guilty
The U.S. Justice Department said it has charged five men in connection with an alleged plot to carry out an attack on officials and others attending the UFC Freedom 250 event held at the White House grounds.
According to the department, the FBI investigated the plot, identified a group of alleged conspirators, and made arrests over the weekend in Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, and California. The department said the investigation remains ongoing. Officials stressed — and the department’s filings state — that a criminal complaint contains only allegations, and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The department identified the five as Tycen C. Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio; Bryan Omar Roa, 24, of Calimesa, California; Michael Alan Thomas, 32, of Pinon Hills, California; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, of Kidder, Missouri; and Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska. According to the charges, the men allegedly conspired to plan a mass-casualty attack targeting U.S. officials at the event.
“The FBI, our law enforcement partners and our U.S. Attorneys did what they do every day to make America safe through quick response and vigilance in investigating, disrupting, and dismantling this alleged plan before it could be carried out,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau became aware of a potential threat on June 10 involving individuals outside the Washington, D.C., region, and that rapid action across multiple states led to the arrests. “Multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold,” Patel said, adding that the work remains ongoing.
What the Charges Allege
According to court filings in Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, and California, investigators say the group allegedly communicated on encrypted apps to coordinate the plan, and that members discussed targeting officials attending the event. The department said investigators allege the conspirators discussed acquiring equipment, pooling money, and identifying potential targets, and that searches of several residences turned up firearms, ammunition, and tactical gear. The filings allege the group discussed potential targets including members of Congress.
The department said one defendant, identified in filings as allegedly directing parts of the planning, used a pseudonym in the encrypted chats. Investigators allege they identified each defendant through the review of electronic communications and follow-on search warrants. Again, these are allegations that have not been proven, and each defendant is presumed innocent.
Possible Penalties
According to the department, if convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine, while a charge of conspiracy to commit violence on White House grounds carries a maximum of five years.
U.S. Secret Service Director Sean M. Curran said protecting the president and the White House grounds is the agency’s top priority, and credited partnerships with the FBI, the Justice Department, and local law enforcement in responding to what he described as a rising number of threats.
