The FBI has successfully disrupted a conspiracy aimed at a UFC event held at the White House on Sunday, leading to the arrest of five individuals, the U.S. Justice Department announced on Tuesday.
According to prosecutors, the scheme involved using explosive-laden drones to target nearby buildings and firing upon “high-value targets.”
One of the suspects was apprehended in Ohio last week, where investigators examined encrypted communications among other alleged co-conspirators.
Charging documents revealed that these individuals had purportedly expressed extreme religious and anti-government views.
FBI Director Kash Patel took to social media on Tuesday to commend the operation, stating that the “alleged planned attacks were stopped cold.”
The suspects have been identified as Tycen C. Proper, 19, who was arrested in Ohio, along with Bryan Omar Roa, 24, and Michael Alan Thomas, 32, both from California, Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, from Missouri, and Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, from Nebraska.
They were detained across four states and each faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder, according to a statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Court documents indicate that the plotters intended to instigate chaos by using drones, which would force fleeing spectators toward a sniper team.
A “second wave” of attackers was allegedly meant to breach the White House gates.
Approximately 4,300 guests attended the invite-only event on the South Lawn, while an additional 85,000 viewers watched from nearby during the back-to-back fights on Sunday.
Filings related to Alvarez reveal that the group had identified potential targets including U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Elon Musk, and various elected officials, though not all were present at the UFC event.
The conspiracy came to light after Proper’s mother contacted local authorities on June 10, just days before the high-profile event.
She expressed concerns regarding her son’s significant firearms purchases and his online interactions with a group claiming to consist of former military personnel with Christian affiliations.
The group allegedly aimed to “jumpstart” a revolution by targeting affluent individuals and politicians attending the UFC fight. Discussions among members included grievances about government corruption and various political issues.
During an FBI interview on June 11, Proper acknowledged his involvement in planning the attack, noting that communication among group members began around March via a TikTok group called “Vanguard of the Old,” which is also referenced in some court documents as “Vanguard of the Old Republic.”
It remains unclear whether this group is connected to any larger organization. However, Proper informed law enforcement that most members were recruited through TikTok.
The DOJ stated that Alvarez played a key role in organizing and directing the planned attack on the UFC event and was responsible for drone operations.
The suspects also shared maps detailing sniper locations, drone launch sites, and potential power grid targets, according to court documents.
Each individual faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine if convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.
Proper is additionally facing three charges, including conspiracy to commit violence on White House grounds, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
A preliminary hearing has been set for June 29.
On Sunday, the White House marked the country’s 250th birthday with a lineup of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bouts held in an open-air venue.
The occasion also fell on President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
It took place two months after gunfire erupted during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which he attended, and four weeks after Secret Service officers fatally shot an armed individual who fired shots at a security post outside the presidential residence.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong