WASHINGTON (AP) — Two more people in Missouri and Washington state have been arrested in connection with what authorities say was a planned attack targeting President Donald Trump's UFC cage-fighting show at the White House earlier this month.
Federal law enforcement officials disrupted the plan a few days before the June 14 White House event, according to court documents.
William Lee Spartacus Falkner of Belfair, Washington, was arrested Friday and
charged with conspiracy to commit murder, according to court documents filed Monday in the Western District of Washington. Jordan W. Rincker, 28, was arrested Sunday and charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the Western District of Missouri. A defense attorney appointed to represent Falkner did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment, and court records do not reveal if Rincker has obtained an attorney. Neither man has had the opportunity to enter a plea.
“Law enforcement continues to do what it does — move to disrupt and hold accountable those allegedly plotting to do harm on the White House Grounds on June 14,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a news release.
Law enforcement officials learned about the possible threat on June 10, four days before the mixed martial arts extravaganza on the White House’s South Lawn. Five people from states including Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska and California were initially arrested on federal charges, the Justice Department said. Officials say the group members harbored fringe conspiracy theories and hoped the attack would destabilize the government.
The investigation began after the mother of an Ohio man contacted police because she was concerned about her son's recent firearms purchases and online communications, according to an FBI affidavit filed in the case.
The man, 19-year-old Tycen Proper, told investigators that he was part of a group that wanted to trigger a revolution and target members of the government, and that they planned to fly explosive-laden drones into the event and then shoot panicked crowd members as they fled, according to the affidavit. Proper is charged with firearms offenses and crimes including attempted murder of an officer or employee of the United States.
“Mr. Proper appreciates the serious nature of the charges currently pending against him and will address them appropriately in court at the right time," Proper’s attorney, Joe Patituce, said Monday. "For now, we are going to move the case forward one step at a time."
Investigators recovered high-powered firearms from several of the suspects and reviewed encrypted text messages between roughly 20 participants who shared detailed maps and aerial photographs of the area and discussed the need for a “safe house” and escape routes after the intended attack, the documents show.
But it’s unclear from the court records how close the would-be attackers could have come to being able to carry out the plan had it not been thwarted.
Several suspects or co-conspirators who were questioned by the authorities said they did not intend themselves to carry out violence but planned to instead observe others. One said he would have traveled to the UFC event as a protester but had to return home after his vehicle malfunctioned. And though the participants spoke of using drones rigged with explosives, charging documents suggest they were still looking to acquire such equipment when the plot was interrupted.
Prosecutors say Rincker distributed cash to some of the conspiracy members, and that he accepted goods including weapons, a 3D printer, a computer and other items and agreed to produce drone parts. Rincker told an investigator that he didn't actually intend to help build the drones suing the printer, according to an FBI affidavit, and just wanted the printer so he could make and sell crafts.
An FBI affidavit says Falkner communicated with other group members about his ability to procure and operate drones as well as what tactics and explosives to use in the plot. After news broke that the plan had been disrupted, Falkner texted another group member to say, “Work trip is canceled. My boss got picked up,” and sent a link to an article detailing the initial arrests, according to the affidavit.
___ Boone reported from Boise, Idaho.
