8 charged in plot to attack UFC event at White House
Eight men have been indicted in an alleged plot to kill government officials and others at a UFC event held at the White House last month, including plans to target the president, vice president, Israel’s prime minister and Elon Musk, according to federal prosecutors.
The two-count indictment, returned in Columbus, Ohio, charges the men with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official. The target was UFC Freedom 250, which was held at the White House on June 14.
Federal prosecutors said the case began with an investigation into Tycen J. Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio, who was arrested during the weekend of the event. Four others were arrested that same weekend in Missouri, Nebraska and California, and two more defendants were charged and arrested about a week later in Washington and Missouri.
An eighth suspect, Chandler D. Scaggs, 21, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, was taken into custody this week in West Virginia. Prosecutors said Scaggs had allegedly been assigned as one of the snipers and was supposed to be picked up by Proper for the trip to Washington, D.C.
After Proper was arrested, Scaggs and others lost contact with him, but Scaggs allegedly told the group he was still willing to take part in the attack and made new plans for another co-conspirator to pick him up, according to court records cited by prosecutors.
The indictment says the group began conspiring in May and used online chats and forums on Signal, SimpleX, Discord, TikTok and Instagram to develop plans, recruit members and push each other to prepare for attacks. Prosecutors said the men discussed support including money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment, communication equipment and personnel.
Investigators said the defendants also created a tier system for participants, with “tier one” members allegedly committing to put themselves “in harms [sic] way, break the law, and potentially go into hiding.”
Prosecutors said the men amassed weapons, ammunition, tactical gear and other supplies, trained in marksmanship and combat, agreed on targets for UFC Freedom 250 and created plans to carry out the attack and escape afterward.
The indictment says the alleged targets included President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, other federal officials, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Elon Musk and other “high value targets” who were expected to attend the event.
Those charged were identified as Abraham H. Alvarez, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, of Hamilton, Missouri; William L. S. Falkner, 21, of Belfair, Washington; Proper; Jordan W. Rincker, 28, of St. Joseph, Missouri; Bryan O. Roa, 25, of Calimesa, California; Scaggs; and Michael A. Thomas, 32, of Pinon Hills, California.
The material support conspiracy charge carries up to 15 years in prison, while the murder conspiracy charge carries a potential sentence of up to life in prison.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
