07/16/26 01:49:00
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07/16 13:47 CDT 2 of 8 men charged in alleged plot to attack the White House
UFC event plead not guilty
2 of 8 men charged in alleged plot to attack the White House UFC event plead
not guilty
By JULIE CARR SMYTH
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) --- Two of the eight men indicted in an alleged drone and
sniper plot to attack President Donald Trump's UFC cage-fighting show on the
White House lawn pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal conspiracy charges.
Clothed in jail garb and shackled, Tycen Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio, and
Chandler Scaggs, 21, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, entered the pleas before
U.S. District Court Judge Edmund Sargus Jr. in Ohio, where the case has been
consolidated. They and the other six defendants are each charged with
conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit
murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government
official.
Sargus scheduled their trial to begin Sept. 14.
It remains unclear from the court record how close the would-be attackers were
to being able to carry out the plan they are alleged to have hatched.
Scaggs' attorney, Eric Brehm, said in a statement that his office is only in
the early stages of reviewing the case, "but one issue is already clear: there
appears to be a significant disconnect between the severity of the alleged
offenses and Mr. Scaggs' naivety, lack of sophistication, and judgment." The
first charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison; the second could mean
prison for life.
In detailing the group's July 9 indictments last week, U.S. Attorney Dominick
Gerace II was asked how close the alleged plot came to fruition.
"What would have happened or could have happened, that's never going to be
clear, because, thank God, there was an intervention here and this thing was
disrupted," he said. "But, in my view, when I look at what's been alleged
there, it seems pretty likely that someone or multiple people were driving to
Washington, D.C., to do something."
Proper's lawyer had no immediate comment.
According to the indictment, the plot began in May. Members of the group ---
citing grievances about government corruption, water-guzzling data centers and
the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files --- began amassing
money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment,
communications equipment and other items.
The attack was planned to take place at the cage-fighting show dubbed UFC
Freedom 250, which was held on the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate
the nation's 250th anniversary. Law enforcement officials said they learned of
the possible threat four days before the event was scheduled to take place.
One of the defendants told investigators that they planned to fly
explosive-laden drones into the event and then shoot panicked crowd members as
they fled, according to a federal affidavit.
The Justice Department announced charges against seven people from across the
country last month, including from Ohio, Missouri, Washington, Nebraska and
California. Officials said the suspects harbored fringe conspiracy theories and
hoped the attack would destabilize the government.
Four alleged conspirators charged in Missouri, Nebraska and California the
weekend of the event and two more charged about a week later in Washington and
Missouri are still in the process of being moved to Ohio to face charges. They
are likely to be tried as a group.
Scaggs was arrested separately later, but was brought to Ohio ahead of the
other out-of-state defendants.
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