BRANDON CASERTA

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s chief lawyer has been approved as U.S. attorney based in Grand Rapids.

A federal prosecutor has withdrawn from the case of a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

A jury's inability to reach a unanimous verdict for two men charged in a conspiracy to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer means the federal government can take them to trial again.

A jury last week couldn't reach a unanimous verdict for two men charged with a conspiracy to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

That a jury didn't convict any of the four men charged with planning to kidnap Michigan Gov_ Gretchen Whitmer is further evidence of the political polarization in the U_S_ A defense lawyer for one of the men says it shows freedom still exists, and that the men's actions were nothing more than “rough talk.”.

Whitmer kidnap case crashes: ‘Conspiracy that just never was,’ attorney says“We’re glad he’s home,” she said. Whitmer to return for fourth day of deliberationsDefendants felt ‘totally justified’ in alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer manipulated by FBI, informant, attorney argues‘I always disagreed,’ defendant says, before alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer goes to juryMan in alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trial

Jurors have acquitted two defendants of all charges in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer but couldn't agree on a verdict for two others.

A jury in the trial against four men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer returned a mixed verdict.

Jurors acquitted two men and deadlocked on two others accused of plotting to abduct Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020.

A jury in the trial against four men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has returned a mixed verdict.

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-

'Our differences must be settled at the ballot box, not through violence,' Lt. Gov. Gilchrist said

A Michigan jury has ended its fourth day of deliberations without having reached verdicts in the trial of four men accused of scheming to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Three days and still no verdict.

Jurors deliberating at the trial of four men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer must answer a key question about whether the FBI engaged in entrapment.

Jurors haven't come up with a verdict yet after two days of deliberations in the trial of four men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The jury is in deliberations in the case against four Michigan men accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Jurors have gone home without reaching a verdict after the first day of deliberations in the trial of four men accused of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – After the defense blamed the FBI for guiding an alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a federal prosecutor reminded jurors of the defendants’ potentially damning statements. “Isn’t it unusual that when Brandon Caserta (said), ‘If I get hemmed up, I’ll do my time?’ Why say that if you haven’t committed a crime?” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler said Friday, April 1.

Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta are charged with conspiracy, and three also face weapons charges.

Prosecution gave closing arguments in the trial against four men accused in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Jurors have heard closing arguments and will begin deliberations Monday in the trial of four men charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The defense has rested and evidence is over in the trial of four men charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Prosecutors in Michigan have rested their case against four men charged with planning to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer before the 2020 national election.

The core question at the trial of four men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is whether the FBI engaged in entrapment.

Jurors have seen provocative social media posts written by a key figure charged in a plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor.

An FBI agent who was working undercover says two key people in the plot to kidnap Michigan's governor were excited to get their hands on explosives.

Defense lawyers are cross-examining a key witness in the trial of four men accused of planning to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The trial against four men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer continued on Thursday.

Jurors in Grand Rapids, Michigan, are hearing from a second man who pleaded guilty in a scheme to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

A man who pleaded guilty to plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took the stand to testify against the four others charged in the plot

A man charged with planning to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was jubilant in 2020 when the state Supreme Court struck down COVID-19 orders.

It was another revealing day in court on Friday (March 18) for the men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Jurors in Michigan are hearing from an Army veteran who became an FBI informant after hearing members of a militia talk about killing police.

Jurors have unflattering snapshots so far of four men charged with plotting to strike back against government by kidnapping Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

A key figure in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov_ Gretchen Whitmer was secretly recorded telling an undercover FBI agent that he wanted to restrain the “tyrant” on a table, then pose for a photo “like we just made the biggest drug bust.”.

The trial of four men charged with planning to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will resume Thursday after a three-day break because of a COVID-19 case.

The trial of four men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has been postponed until Thursday because an “essential” participant has tested positive for COVID-19.

Prosecutors have played covertly recorded audio for jurors in which a man charged in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer specifically mentions abducting the Democrat.

Four men accused of scheming to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are on trial in a federal courthouse named for Gerald R.

Prosecutors in the trial of four men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer played secretly recorded audio for jurors in a Grand Rapids courtroom on Thursday.

Prosecutors have played covertly recorded audio for jurors in which a man charged in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer specifically mentions abducting the Democrat.

Opening statements and first testimony were given in the trial of the four men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Attorneys for four men charged with planning to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are telling jurors they were swayed by informants and federal agents who targeted them for their anti-government views.

A jury has been selected for the trial of four men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Jury selection begins Tuesday in the trial of four men who are accused of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The trial for the four men accused in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer could be lengthy. Brandon Caserta, Daniel Harris, Barry Croft and Adam Fox are all facing charges.

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.

Defense attorneys have sought to dismiss the indictment against five men accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer because of what they describe as “egregious overreaching” by federal agents and informants.

The attorney for a man accused of being involved in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer alleged that an FBI agent instructed an informant to lie and delete text messages that would reveal the agency was unlawfully furthering the conspiracy.

The trial was postponed to give defense lawyers more time to receive and analyze evidence. In October, the FBI announced it had broken up the plot to kidnap Whitmer that was put in motion by anti-government extremists upset over her COVID-19 restrictions. Six people were charged in federal court, while eight others were charged in state court. Ty Garbin, one of the six men charged in federal court, pleaded guilty in January and said he would cooperate with prosecutors. The six men facing federal charges were part of a broader attempt to spark a civil war by overthrowing the government and killing police personnel.

Kent County JailAccused Whitmer plot ringleader Adam Fox, 37, of Potterville. Six men accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer were indicted by a federal grand jury late Wednesday, paving the way for a criminal trial.The suspects face up to life in prison on one count of kidnapping conspiracy.A trial date has not yet been set.The indictment sheds more light on the case. An additional six suspects in the kidnapping plot were charged in state court.According to new filings, investigators raided sites in multiple states, including a firing range in northern Michigan and homes in metro Detroit.Federal prosecutors were considering filing terrorism charges against the six men after investigators revealed finding bomb parts and other new evidence. Prosecutors can still file additional charges in the case.Prosecutors said they have a lot of evidence to examine, including more than 13,000 pages of encrypted text messages, hundreds of hours of undercover audio recordings, and “voluminous” amounts of audio and video found on seized computers and cellphones.

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.

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."

BREAKING: Today @FOX17 obtained new FBI docs in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan @GovWhitmer - the docs lay out tactical training, surveillance, and violent threats against lawmakers and police officers..... pic.twitter.com/kYNkf0F5pK — Doug Reardon (@ReardonReports) October 16, 2020The domestic terrorists accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer carried out tactical training exercises, which they filmed — resulting in the surreal sight of heavily armed men leaping out of a PT Cruiser and firing off rounds of bullets, according to new video obtained by Grand Rapids's Fox affiliate WXMI.The videos were presented in court and released Friday by the U.S. Attorney's office. "Exhibit 2" shows four men getting out of the PT Cruiser and firing multiple rounds from assault-style rifles. Other videos show the men practicing reloading their guns quickly.Additional information released Friday includes screenshots of encrypted text messages among the men, crudely drawn maps, and photos of a bridge near the governor's vacation home that they planned to blow up in order to create a distraction.The videos also showed the lengths the men said they would go to in order to carry out their mission. "If this whole thing, you know, starts to happen, I'm telling you what, dude, I'm taking out as many of those motherfuckers as I can," Brandon Caserta, a 32-year-old man from Canton, says in one video.You can see the video below, or more over at Fox 17

On Sept. 19 just 28 days ago the Local 4 Defenders obtained a Canton police video of a traffic stop. After the stop, Caserta was on his YouTube channel raging against police taking money from citizens. Two FBI informants on the inside of the group sent agents encrypted messages they say were from Caserta. In the messages Caserta noted he found out who the officers were in the traffic stop, where they lived and that he could easily kill them. Sources say it was this traffic stop and the threats afterwards that led the FBI to swoop in and arrest the group.

LANSING, Mich. – Five of the men charged in an alleged domestic terror plot targeting Michigan Gov. FBI officials said the men were captured on audio tapes plotting to kidnap or kill Whitmer and overthrow the state Capitol Building. Brian Higgins was charged after the FBI uncovered a domestic terror plot targeting Michigan Gov. FBI officials said the alleged plot was to storm the state Capitol Building or kidnap Whitmer from her northern Michigan vacation home. FBI officials said they were able to stop the men before that happened.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Federal prosecutors and FBI agents detailed the alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Federal officials said Kaleb Franks, of Waterford, advocated for someone to impersonate a pizza delivery driver and shoot Whitmer at her home. Brandon Caserta, of Canton, may have been the reason federal officials moved to arrest the men. According to federal officials, the men were angry over COVID-19 shutdown orders and also contemplated attacking the governor of Virginia. The plot against Whitmer and an attack on the State House were the main focus.

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.

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.

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.

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.