8 indicted in drone, sniper plot on UFC White House event
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- Eight men were indicted in Ohio on murder and terrorism conspiracy charges for a thwarted drone and sniper attack on the UFC Freedom 250 event staged at the White House in June
- The plot began in May with the group amassing money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment and communications equipment
- Law enforcement learned of the threat on June 10, four days before the June 14 mixed martial arts event, and arrests began the weekend of the fight
- Tycen C. Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio, and four others were arrested that weekend; the eighth defendant, Chandler D. Scaggs, 21, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, was charged this week and allegedly assigned as one of the snipers
- A federal affidavit says one defendant told investigators they planned to fly explosive-laden drones into the event and shoot panicked crowd members as they fled
- Federal prosecutors allege the intended targets included President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Elon Musk and 'other high-value targets' expected to attend
- Penalties range from up to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists to up to life in prison for the murder conspiracy
Why it matters: The indictment shows the plot targeted not just Trump but a constellation of high-profile figures including Netanyahu and Musk, with prosecutors saying the group hoped to 'destabilize the government.' The penalty range—up to life in prison—signals this is being treated as a top-tier terrorism case rather than a fringe conspiracy.
