KALEB FRANKS

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A prosecutor asked a judge to delay sentencing of a man convicted of plotting to kidnap Gov. Franks testified that he expected to die in a shootout with police during the kidnapping. Related:Prosecutor in alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer kidnap case crashes: ‘Conspiracy that just never was,’ attorney saysDefense attorney says Gov. Whitmer was ‘never in any real danger’‘Nobody really conspired’ to kidnap Gov.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Two men accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trialGov. Whitmer kidnap case crashes: ‘Conspiracy that just never was,’ attorney says2 men acquitted in alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot to ‘next level, not our guy’Too drunk, too stoned, still mad about COVID-19 orders: This week in the Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trial

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

By ED WHITE Associated PressFederal prosecutors plan to finish presenting evidence this week in the trial of four men charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. An undercover FBI agent known as “Red” will appear when testimony resumes Monday in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler said Friday. Garbin testified last week that Whitmer’s kidnapping could ignite a U.S. civil war involving antigovernment groups and possibly prevent Joe Biden from winning the presidential election. Defense attorneys deny there was an actual plan to get Whitmer, claiming the men were improperly influenced by undercover agents and informants, and exchanged wild talk while often smoking marijuana. Whitmer has said Trump was complicit in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Federal prosecutors plan to finish presenting evidence this week in the trial of four men charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

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.

Whitmer kidnap plot expected to die in shootout with policeDefense objects to ‘snitch’ invoking Fifth Amendment in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trialFormer defendant: Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trialMan who joined militia was alarmed by cop-killing talk, turned informant in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trial‘I will die a saint, covered in blood,’ alleged leader of Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot said in FBI recording‘I’m gonna terrorize people,’ alleged leader of plot to kidnap Gov.

The second man convicted in the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was back on the witness stand on Friday.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The FBI seized firearms, ammunition, a gas mask and flexible plastic handcuffs at the home of a suspected leader of an alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot expected to die in shootout with policeFormer defendant: Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trialMan who joined militia was alarmed by cop-killing talk, turned informant in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trial‘I will die a saint, covered in blood,’ alleged leader of Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot said in FBI recording‘I’m gonna terrorize people,’ alleged leader of plot to kidnap Gov.

Kaleb Franks, who pleaded guilty in February, spoke as a witness in the trial against four other men charged in the Whitmer kidnapping plot.

Defense attorneys are trying to show the jury that there was no credible plot, just a lot of profane, violent and crazy talk.

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

A second man who pleaded guilty in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer admitted Friday that he lied at times after being arrested in 2020 because he didn't want to go to jail. Kaleb Franks was questioned by defense attorneys a day after testifying for prosecutors in the trial of four former allies charged with conspiracy. Franks acknowledged telling investigators that the alleged leader, Adam Fox, was regularly egged on by a man who turned out to be an FBI informant.

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

Whitmer kidnap plot: I wanted cops to kill meBy ED WHITE Associated PressA man who pleaded guilty in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer testified Thursday that he joined the conspiracy hoping he would be killed in a shootout with police. Garbin, 26, told jurors Wednesday that Whitmer’s kidnapping could have been the “ignition” for a U.S. civil war involving antigovernment groups, possibly before the 2020 election. The trial has linked, at times indirectly, the kidnapping plot to a series of events, especially right-wing protests at the Michigan Capitol and elsewhere in response to pandemic orders. Every house had a living room.”In September 2020, Garbin, Fox, Croft and others traveled to Elk Rapids for night surveillance of Whitmer’s property.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A man who admitted conspiring to kidnap Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trialFormer defendant: Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trialMan who joined militia was alarmed by cop-killing talk, turned informant in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot trial‘I will die a saint, covered in blood,’ alleged leader of Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot said in FBI recording‘I’m gonna terrorize people,’ alleged leader of plot to kidnap Gov.

A man who pleaded guilty in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer testified Thursday that he joined the conspiracy hoping he would be killed in a shootout with police.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

In contrast to militants from before, who mostly avoided bloodshed with the horrific exception of the Oklahoma City bombing, some modern successors have taken a more radical and potentially violent turn.

Experts say far-right groups in the U.S. are taking a more dangerously radical turn as four men go on trial in an alleged scheme to kidnap Michigan’s governor.

They railed against politicians, conducted military-style exercises and spoke darkly of confronting tyrants scheming to seize their guns and enslave them. “I don't think they were dangerous," said Vinyard, an Eastern Michigan University professor emeritus and author of a book about far-right movements in the state. In contrast to militants from before, who mostly avoided bloodshed with the horrific exception of the Oklahoma City bombing, some modern successors have taken a more radical and potentially violent turn.

A guilty plea by a member of the Wolverine Watchmen group has revealed more about the alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

A second man has pleaded guilty in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

A Waterford Township man is expected to plead guilty in the alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The plea deal outlined in court documents suggests Kaleb Franks could offer crucial testimony against the four remaining defendants in the case.

Records show another man charged in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has agreed to plead guilty.

Records show another man charged in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has agreed to plead guilty.

A man charged in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has agreed to plead guilty, according to documents filed Monday, leaving four people to face trial in March.

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 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.

Details of the secret group chat held by some of the suspects in the alleged domestic terrorism plot to kidnap and kill Gov. Local 4 Defenders saw the group’s conversation in which one member alerted them that police questioned a former roommate of his in Milford. All defendants on the group chat are from Metro Detroit. Fox reportedly wasn’t told that members believed the suspected domestic terrorist plot had gotten out. Many of the suspects in the alleged domestic terrorism plot to kidnap and kill Gov.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A federal judge upheld the detention of a man accused in an alleged plot to kidnap Gov. During discussions about kidnapping Whitmer, Franks said “that ‘I’m in for anything as long as it’s well-planned,’” the judge said. Read more:Man accused in plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer should stay locked up, prosecutor saysMan accused in plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer free on bondJackson County man accused of plotting to kidnap Gov.

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.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The federal government opposes release of a defendant in an alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Kaleb Franks, 26, of Waterford, Michigan was one of several men charged in a 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The alleged kidnapping plan involved taking Whitmer from her Northern Michigan home, testimony and court documents show. Whitmer kidnapping plotter, a recovered addict, argues for release pending trialReleased photos and videos offer look at training, weaponry in alleged Gov. Whitmer kidnapping plotConcerns about informants in Gov.

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.

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.

Gretchen Whitmer actually signed up, trained and plotted ways to shoot and kill her, according to FBI testimony. FBI agents said Garbin is a member of the Wolverine Watchmen domestic terror group who was recruited into the plot against Whitmer. His Hartland home was raided by FBI agents as part of the investigation, testimony revealed. Harris held a meeting at his home to confirm the identities of everyone involved in the larger kidnapping plot, FBI officials said. Harris was pushing forward to try to kill Whitmer, according to testimony.

The domestic terror group accused of plotting against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also discussed kidnapping the governor of Virginia, according to FBI testimony. Five Michigan men -- Adam Fox, Ty Garbin, Daniel Harris, Kaleb Franks and Brandon Caserta -- appeared in court Tuesday after being charged with conspiracy to kidnap Whitmer. Three of the men charged in a domestic terror plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. They’re domestic terrorists’Officials said Ty Garbin, Daniel Harris, Kaleb Franks -- who were all charged with conspiracy to kidnap the governor -- were “all in” on actually killing Whitmer.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.