Grand Rapids judge denied motion for new trial for 2 members involved in Whitmer kidnapping plot
Found guilty in August of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and trying to obtain a weapon of mass destruction, a federal judge in Grand Rapids has denied the motion for a new trial for Barry Croft and Adam Fox.
Prosecutors oppose new trial for men convicted of plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Federal prosecutors oppose requests by Barry Croft and Adam Fox for new trials in the plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer kidnap trialJudge in Whitmer kidnapping plot trial explains why juror wasn’t dismissed after attorney complaintGuilty verdict in Whitmer kidnap case highlights anti-government threats to public officialsMen found guilty of leading plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer kidnap case after undercover FBI agent recalls secret trip to her houseLawyers object to limit on cross examination in Gov. Whitmer kidnap case posed threat; defense raises concern about jurorSuspect in secret recording played at trial suggested killing Gov. Whitmer kidnap case wanted to ‘build an army,’ jury toldDefendants in alleged plot to kidnap Gov.
mlive.comGov. Whitmer kidnap figure has sentence reduced for helping convict former co-defendants
Whitmer kidnap plot. Whitmer kidnap plot suspects ends without rulingCroft and Fox, considered leaders of a multi-state plot to kidnap Whitmer, were convicted of conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, both potential life offenses. Whitmer kidnap trialJudge in Whitmer kidnapping plot trial explains why juror wasn’t dismissed after attorney complaintGuilty verdict in Whitmer kidnap case highlights anti-government threats to public officialsMen found guilty of leading plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer kidnap trial called pot-smoking moronsFBI pushed ‘hapless’ client into Gov. Whitmer kidnap caseKidnapping Gov.
mlive.comMan in Gov. Whitmer kidnap case wanted to ‘hang her on TV,’ witness says
Whitmer kidnap case excited driving past her home, recording showsFBI says defendants in Gov. Whitmer kidnap case posed threat; defense raises concern about jurorSuspect in secret recording played at trial suggested killing Gov. Whitmer kidnap case wanted to ‘build an army,’ jury toldDefendants in alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer were ‘big talkers,’ had no plan, attorneys tell jurorsRetrial of 2 suspects in alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer says details ‘jarring’ from trial of men charged with conspiring to kidnap herMan in alleged plot to kidnap Gov.
mlive.com5 takeaways from the Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trial
Whitmer kidnap case crashes: ‘Conspiracy that just never was,’ attorney saysDefense attorney says Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot to ‘next level, not our guy’‘I will die a saint, covered in blood,’ alleged leader of Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot said in FBI recordingJury in alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer to return for fourth day of deliberationsDefendants felt ‘totally justified’ in alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer, prosecutor saysDefendant in alleged plot to kidnap Gov.
mlive.comShocker: Far-Right Men Accused in Michigan Guv Kidnap Plot Duck Conviction
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Photo by JIM WATSON/GettyIn a shocking twist, a gaggle of white men accused of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the weeks before the 2020 presidential election dodged convictions on Friday.After five days of deliberations, a Michigan jury acquitted Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta of several charges, including conspiracy, for what prosecutors said was a depraved scheme born out of anti-government anger at the Democratic leader’s COVID-
news.yahoo.comMotion seeks indictment dismissal for 5 charged in Whitmer kidnapping plot due to ‘government overreach’
Attorneys for the defendants in the alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are requesting the indictment be dropped for five men charged in the case, arguing that the government orchestrated the plot and entrapped those accused.
Grand jury indicts six men for Michigan governor kidnap plot
Michigan Governor Gretchen WhitmerLANSING – Six men facing charges of plotting to kidnap Governor Whitmer were indicted by a grand jury this week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan said. Some of the men belong to an anti-government militia group called Wolverine Watchmen. At least one of the defendants, Fox, considered Whitmer to be a sort of tyrant because she had ordered gyms closed in the state to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to prosecutors. Obtaining the grand jury indictments, which came down on Wednesday, was a necessary step to proceed with the federal prosecutions, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement. Some of the men also bought supplies for the kidnapping, the indictment said.
arabamericannews.comGrand jury indicts six men for Michigan governor kidnap plot
Michigan Governor Gretchen WhitmerLANSING – Six men facing charges of plotting to kidnap Governor Whitmer were indicted by a grand jury this week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan said. Some of the men belong to an anti-government militia group called Wolverine Watchmen. At least one of the defendants, Fox, considered Whitmer to be a sort of tyrant because she had ordered gyms closed in the state to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to prosecutors. Obtaining the grand jury indictments, which came down on Wednesday, was a necessary step to proceed with the federal prosecutions, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement. Some of the men also bought supplies for the kidnapping, the indictment said.
arabamericannews.com6 suspects in alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer indicted by federal grand jury
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Thursday, Dec. 17 that a federal grand jury has indicted six men in the alleged conspiracy to kidnap Michigan Gov. Related: The ties that bind the men behind the plot to kidnap Gov. Related: Grand Rapids man, alleged leader of plot to kidnap Gov. Also on MLive:Suspect in plot to kidnap Michigan governor fights extradition from Wisconsin‘Big talk between crackpots:’ Attorney doubts Gov. Gretchen Whitmer prompts renewed calls to ban guns in Michigan Capitol buildingNorthern Michigan town grapples with plot to kidnap Gov.
mlive.comGuns, maps, audio recordings -- New evidence in terrorist plot against Whitmer revealed
LANSING, Mich. – Local 4 Defenders collected new, never-before-seen evidence against the 14 men accused of the terrorist plot to kidnap and possibly kill Gov. Video shows one Wolverine Watchmen member show off his weapons -- including suppressors or silencers, and a locker packed with firearms. Another member, Brandon Caserta of Canton, is seen showing off a 800,000-volt electroshock weapon that federal investigators said he wanted to use on Whitmer. The goal was allegedly to assemble 200 men to storm the Michigan Capitol Building and take hostages -- including Whitmer. The affidavit indicates that Croft not only wanted to go after Whitmer, but other governors across the country.
Released photos and videos offer look at training, weaponry in alleged Gov. Whitmer kidnapping plot
One video shows people, dressed in military gear, exiting a vehicle and firing rounds from guns off into the distance. In releasing the photos and videos -- including screenshots of text and other messaging -- federal prosecutors did not offer descriptions of the exhibits. One video shows people dressed in military gear exiting a vehicle, armed with what appears to be assault rifles and firing into the distance. Whitmer kidnapping plot justified, attorneys sayYet another video shows a man triggering a Taser, with electrical pulses visible. The longest video shows suspect Brandon Caserta speaking to a camera and talking about taking out “government thugs that rob people everyday."
mlive.com5 men accused of plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ‘amateurs’ but dangerous, prosecutor says
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A federal judge on Friday, Oct. 16, said five defendants accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Late-night surveillance of the governor’s home in Northern Michigan was an “overt” act required under the charge of conspiracy to kidnap. Meanwhile, an investigator testified Friday that he believed that the planning to kidnap Whitmer, and a mention of kidnapping Virginia Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in boat in Lake Michigan, FBI saysNew suspect from Wisconsin identified in alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot justified, attorneys say
mlive.comJudge finds cases against 5 in Whitmer plot can move forward
U.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Berens said the five men's cases can go to a grand jury, which will determine whether to issue indictments. Berens on Tuesday denied bond for the three other Michigan residents charged in the case: Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta. Agent Richard Trask testified that members of anti-government paramilitary groups from several states discussed abducting Whitmer or Virginia Democratic Gov. Authorities found conversations among group members in which they were worried that federal authorities had infiltrated their planning sessions, he said. Berens found that the information presented showed the men had a unified purpose — to kidnap Whitmer — allowing the case to move forward.
Kidnapping plot included leaving Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in boat in Lake Michigan, FBI says
Gretchen Whitmer considered leaving Whitmer in a boat in the middle of Lake Michigan. RELATED: What we know about the militia members charged in kidnapping plot against Michigan governorSeven others are facing anti-terrorism charges in state courts. Titus was angry that Fox used his business to allegedly plan the governor’s kidnapping. On June 18, Fox, Garbin and a confidential source met in Lansing for a Second Amendment rally. Franks allegedly had a rifle with a silencer.
mlive.comFBI Agent: Group Charged In Gov. Whitmer Kidnap Plot Discussed Targeting Virginia Governor
(CNN) – The group charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. “The understanding at the time was to potentially kidnap a sitting governor and remove them from office,” he added. Six people were charged federally with conspiracy to kidnap, and seven other people, associated with the paramilitary group “Wolverine Watchmen,” were charged by the state, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced. “The attendees discussed plans for assaulting the Michigan State Capitol, countering law enforcement first responders, and using ‘Molotov cocktails’ to destroy police vehicles. Croft and Fox discussed detonating explosive devices to divert police from the vacation home area, according to the FBI.
detroit.cbslocal.com5 suspects in Whitmer kidnapping plot to be in federal court Tuesday in Grand Rapids
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Five men accused in the domestic terror plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are scheduled for a hearing Tuesday in Grand Rapids. Those to be in court are Adam Fox, of Grand Rapids; Ty Garbin, of Hartland; Kaleb Franks, of Waterford; Daniel Harris, of Lake Orion; and Brandon Caserta, of Canton. The six men are accused of plotting to kidnap Whitmer outside of her northern Michigan vacation home. Whitmer has continued to go out and campaign for fellow Democrats since the plot was uncovered.
Agent: Michigan, Virginia governors mentioned in kidnap plot
In a photo provided by the Michigan Office of the Governor, Michigan Gov. A judge ordered three of six men charged in the case held without bond until trial, delaying rulings on two defendants. But in keeping with security protocols for highly classified information, neither the governor nor members of his staff were informed. Trask, the FBI agent, testified that authorities learned of the June meeting in Ohio while investigating various anti-government groups. Michigan, and particularly the Detroit area, were hit hard early during the pandemic, leading Whitmer to tightly restrict personal movement and the economy.
Gov. Whitmer kidnapping plot: Here’s what we’ve learned as of Friday afternoon
Local 4 has learned more Friday about the alleged plot to kidnap Gov. That’s when the Wolverine Watchmen caught the FBI’s attention. In June, the men involved in the kidnapping conspiracy started meeting with members of the Wolverine Watchmen and recruiting others to their ranks. “They belong to a group, a militia group, called the Wolverine Watchmen. A house on Dunn Road in Munith that was raided Oct. 8, 2020, in connection with a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov.
Gov. Whitmer kidnapping suspects linked to ‘boogaloo’ anti-government movement, NBC News finds
LANSING, Mich. – Some of the Michigan men charged after a conspiracy to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer have links to the national “boogaloo” anti-government movement, NBC News found. NBC News looked into the six men directly charged with conspiring to kidnap Whitmer -- Adam Fox, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, Brandon Caserta and Barry Croft. Croft was seen wearing the insignia of the Three Percenters, an armed anti-government movement, among other online warning signs, according to NBC News. Others in the group facing charges had anti-government memes and posts on social media before they were deleted, according to NBC News.
Foiled terror plot to kidnap Michigan governor: Here’s what to know
If you’re looking to get caught up on Thursday’s announcement about a foiled plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, here’s what to know. These are 10 of the 13 people who were charged after the FBI uncovered a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. BOTTOM (left to right): Pete Musico, Eric Molitor, William Null, Michael Null, Joseph Morrison.
Jackson County home was alleged ‘training ground’ in plot to kidnap Whitmer
MUNITH, Mich. – Federal and state officials have charged 13 people after uncovering a plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and overthrow the Michigan government, FBI agents said. Through confidential informants and undercover agents, the FBI gained access to audio recordings, ground messages and secret meetings as the group plotted for months, according to court records. In addition to a Wednesday night raid in Hartland, FBI agents also raided the home of two of the suspects in Jackson County. Authorities said the Munith home served as a training facility for members of the group now facing terrorism charges.
View: Mugshots for all 14 people charged after FBI uncovered plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer
Paul Bellar, 21, of Milford, was charged with providing material support for terrorist acts, gang membership and a felony firearm violation. Providing material support for terrorists acts, threat of terrorism and gang membership are each 20-year felonies. The felony firearm violations come with mandatory two-year prison sentences, to be served consecutively. You can view mugshots for Bellar, Musico, Morrison, Molitor, Fix and the Nulls below. Brian Higgins was charged after the FBI uncovered a domestic terror plot targeting Michigan Gov.
Here’s what Gov. Whitmer said about group of Michiganders' plot to kidnap her
Gretchen Whitmer spoke Thursday after the FBI uncovered a plot by a group of Michigan residents to kidnap her, hold her hostage and try her for treason. You can watch Whitmer’s full statement in the video above. VIEW: Mugshots for people charged after FBI uncovered plot to kidnap WhitmerCharges were later announced against Paul Bellar, Shawn Fix, Eric Molitor, Michael Null, William Null, Pete Musico and Joseph Morrison. Whitmer thanked the FBI and state troopers who took down the people involved. Not in our lifetimes.”“I’ve said it many times: We are not one another’s enemy,” Whitmer said.
Leader of Gov. Whitmer abduction plot inspected bridge for where to plant explosives, FBI says
Gretchen Whitmer inspected a bridge for where to plant explosives so the group could delay police response to the kidnapping scene, FBI agents said. Adam Fox, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, Brandon Caserta and Barry Croft were named in the criminal complaint. Through confidential informants and undercover agents, the FBI monitored the plot for several months. The first mention of the bridge in the criminal complaint refers to an Aug. 30 exchange between Garbin and an FBI informant. VIEW: Mugshots for people charged after FBI uncovered plot to kidnap WhitmerFox later shared that information with the larger group, court records show.
Six Arrested on Federal Charge of Conspiracy to Kidnap the Governor of Michigan
The Department of Justice today announced that six men have been arrested and charged federally with conspiring to kidnap the Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer. Through confidential sources, undercover agents, and clandestine recordings, law enforcement learned particular individuals were planning to kidnap the Governor and acting in furtherance of that plan. This group used operational security measures, including communicating by encrypted messaging platforms and used code words and phrases in an attempt to avoid detection by law enforcement. The FBI and Michigan State Police executed arrests as multiple conspirators met to pool funds for explosives and exchange tactical gear. Agents of the Detroit Field Office of the FBI and other members of their Joint Terrorism Task Force, including the Michigan State Police, are conducting the investigation.
justice.govDeep dive into the details of a scheme to kidnap Gov. Whitmer, hold her hostage
Here is a deep dive into the intricate details of a scheme to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at her vacation home, including quotes from undercover audio recordings, code words used while plotting and a secret trap door hidden under the rug of a Grand Rapids business.
Six men charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, 7 others arrested under state anti-terrorism law
Federal authorities charged six men for allegedly plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Seven other men known to be members or associates of the militia group Wolverine Watchmen were charged under Michigan's anti-terrorism law. The FBI later heard the men and others talking about attacking the Michigan state Capitol and using Molotov cocktails to destroy police vehicles. Those defendants were arrested on Wednesday night, according to Andrew Birge, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Michigan. Hate groups heard the president's words, not as a rebuke, but as a rallying cry, as a call to action."
cnbc.comFBI uncovers plan to kidnap Gov. Whitmer as hostage, overthrow Michigan government, feds say
More than a dozen people have been charged after what the FBI is calling a “violent” militia scheme involving people from several different states to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as a hostage and overthrow the Michigan government.
Six Men Charged In A Plot To Kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer
(CNN) – Six men were charged Thursday in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, according to a federal criminal complaint. The six individuals charged in the Western District of Michigan with conspiracy to kidnap are Michigan residents Adam Fox, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, Brandon Caserta, and Delaware resident Barry Croft. At one point during the meeting, the group discussed increasing their members and Fox reached out to a “Michigan base militia group,” according to the complaint. “We condemn the actions of the group of individuals that plotted against Governor Whitmer and state government.
detroit.cbslocal.comAlleged FBI-thwarted plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer came after Trump called to 'LIBERATE MICHIGAN'
Months after President Donald Trump egged on right-wing protesters to "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!" In May, reported on Facebook groups that were calling for violence against Whitmer, a violation of the company's policy. Grab the fuckin' Governor," Fox said, according to a secret recording. However, Shirkey also contributed to the heated rhetoric around Whitmer's emergency powers, which she has used to manage the coronavirus pandemic. "Last week, the Michigan Supreme Court struck down Whitmer's emergency executive orders , declaring them unconstitutional.Whitmer is expected to deliver a statement at 3 p.m.
metrotimes.com