Eight men have been indicted on charges related to a planned drone and sniper attack targeting a UFC event held near the White House in June. The indictment was unsealed Thursday in Ohio, accusing the defendants of engaging in two conspiracies: providing material support to terrorists and conspiring to commit murder on federal property, including the murder of a federal official.
According to court documents, the alleged plot originated in May, when the group began acquiring weapons, explosives, drones, body armor, medical supplies, and communication devices. Law enforcement officials became aware of the threat on June 10, four days before the mixed martial arts event known as Freedom 250, which was attended by prominent figures including then-President Donald Trump.
The Justice Department had previously brought criminal complaints against some members of the group in various jurisdictions, including Ohio, Missouri, Washington, Nebraska, and California. The latest indictment consolidates these charges in a single prosecution in Ohio, aiming to present a comprehensive case against the defendants, who reportedly subscribed to fringe conspiracy theories and sought to destabilize the government through violence.
Federal authorities allege the attack plan involved deploying drones loaded with explosives at the event, followed by snipers shooting attendees as they fled the ensuing chaos. Among the defendants is 21-year-old Chandler D. Scaggs of Chapmanville, West Virginia, who was arrested earlier this week and is accused of being assigned a sniper role. According to a federal affidavit, Scaggs was meant to be transported to Washington by co-defendant Tycen C. Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio, but lost contact with Proper after his arrest. The affidavit also states that Scaggs communicated his continued willingness to participate and coordinated travel arrangements with another conspirator following the disruption of their plan.
Proper and several others were apprehended during the weekend of the event across multiple states, including Missouri, Nebraska, and California. Two additional suspects were arrested about a week later in Washington and Missouri. Scaggs’s attorney, Eric Brehm, said his office is reviewing the allegations and declined further comment.
Prosecutors allege the group intended to assassinate high-profile individuals at the UFC event, including President Trump, Vice-President J.D. Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, businessman Elon Musk, and other unspecified high-value targets.
The charges of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, while conspiracy to commit murder could lead to life imprisonment if the defendants are convicted. Federal authorities have not disclosed how advanced the plot had become prior to the arrests.