A federal grand jury has indicted eight men on charges related to a thwarted plot to attack a UFC event held at the White House in June. The indictment, returned in Columbus, Ohio, consolidates earlier charges against the suspects into two primary counts: conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal property, including the planned killing of a federal official. The defendants, who reside in various states across the country, were allegedly motivated by fringe conspiracy theories and sought to destabilize the U.S. government.
According to court documents, the plot began in May 2026 as the group started gathering resources, including firearms, ammunition, explosives, drones, and tactical gear. Investigators allege the group planned to use explosive-laden drones to strike the venue, creating chaos that would allow them to open fire on spectators as they attempted to flee. Law enforcement became aware of the threat on June 10, just four days before the event, known as Freedom 250, was scheduled to take place on the White House grounds.
The eight defendants include Tycen C. Proper, Abraham Alvarez, Daniel Eskridge, Jordan Rincker, William Falkner, Bryan Roa, Chandler Scaggs, and Michael Thomas. The group reportedly organized themselves into operational tiers based on their willingness to break the law and engage in violence. Chandler Scaggs, the final suspect to be taken into custody, was allegedly assigned to act as a sniper during the attack. While the plot was successfully intercepted before it could be carried out, the case highlights the ongoing challenges federal agencies face in monitoring decentralized extremist threats.
If convicted, the defendants face significant prison time, with the conspiracy to commit murder charge carrying a potential penalty of life in prison. The Justice Department continues to manage the prosecution as the case moves toward trial. For the public, the incident underscores the heightened security measures surrounding high-profile government events and the persistent efforts of law enforcement to identify and disrupt domestic terror plots before they materialize.