Nine members of a North Texas Antifa terror cell were indicted by the Justice Department in connection with a violent attack on the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, over the summer that nearly killed a local policeman.
Seven other suspects were separately charged with one count of providing material support to terrorists, according to the DOJ.
A sixteenth defendant was previously charged in late October with one count of providing material support for terrorism.
In a major shift for the DOJ, this is the first time that members of the terror group have been federally indicted on terrorism charges.
“This is the first indictment in the country against a group of violent Antifa cell members,” said acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.
“The charges the Grand Jury has leveled against these defendants, including material support for terrorists, address the vicious attack perpetrated by an anti-ICE, anti-law enforcement, anti-government, anarchist group,” she continued.
Federal prosecutors accuse the defendants of ambushing law enforcement at the ICE facility housing illegal aliens on July 4, an attack that led to one Texas police officer being shot in the neck.
A federal grand jury charged the nine individuals in a twelve-count indictment on Nov. 14 with rioting with the intent to commit an act of violence; providing material support to terrorists; conspiracy to use and carry an explosive; using and carrying an explosive; the attempted murder of officers; discharging a gun during and in relation to and in furtherance of a crime of violence; corruptly concealing a document or record; and conspiracy to conceal documents.
The nine North Texas Antifa cell members facing multiple counts are: Cameron Arnold, Zachary Evetts, Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto, and Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada.
The seven suspects charged for material support for terrorism are: Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Susan Kent, Rebecca Morgan, Lynette Sharp, and John Thomas.
Seth Sikes was the sixteenth defendant charged last month.
The North Texas Antifa cell is allegedly part of a larger far-left militant organization made up of networks of individuals and small groups who call for the overthrow of the United States government and the elimination of the police.
“Anyone who targets law enforcement or uses violence to advance an anarchist agenda will face the full weight of the federal government,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News. “These are domestic terrorists, and under President Trump’s leadership, we’re finding them and bringing them to justice.”
The Antifa terror suspects, who were dressed in “black bloc” attire, allegedly used fireworks as a distraction before opening fire on the officers.
Authorities said the gang conducted site reconnaissance, used encrypted messaging apps to coordinate, and acquired over 50 firearms, including AR-15s, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area prior to the attack.
The encrypted group chats allegedly instructed members on what to bring to the riot, including guns, medical kits and fireworks, and, in attempt to conceal their tracks, they also set messages to auto-delete to permanently erase evidence, while using monikers to hide their identities.
Song, who was identified as the leader of the terror cell, allegedly shouted “Get to the rifles” before opening fire on responding corrections officers.
One officer who challenged Baumann was shot in the neck, while other officers ducked and ran for cover.
Song later attempted to flee, but was captured by law enforcement on July 15.
The defendants face a minimum of ten years in federal prison, or up to 50 years, with some facing life imprisonment.
“Antifa is a terrorist organization, and today’s guilty pleas — for violent assaults against law enforcement — mark a turning point in how the Department of Justice is approaching Antifa cases,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News.
“At President Trump’s direction, we are prosecuting Antifa like we prosecute groups such as Tren de Aragua and MS-13. Expect similar cases to come as we dismantle Antifa.”
The nine defendants are scheduled for arraignment on December 3, in the Northern District of Texas.
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