FBI Director Kash Patel announced Thursday that eight men have been indicted on federal charges related to an alleged plot to detonate explosive drones over the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House on June 14 and then use snipers to kill President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other “high value targets” as they fled the resulting evacuation.
“This has been a sweeping, nationwide operation with our Secret Service partners and local law enforcement across the country — and at every step the evidence has been clear that law enforcement’s decisive action and brilliant work stopped a violent plan cold,” Patel wrote on X. “Let it be a message to anyone considering similar plans that you will be identified, pursued and arrested.”
A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against all eight defendants in the Southern District of Ohio, charging them with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official, according to the official DOJ press release. Convictions on the material support charge carry up to 15 years in prison; the murder conspiracy charge carries up to life.
The Eight Defendants
The indictment names Abraham H. Alvarez, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, who went by “Shepherd” and allegedly organized and directed the attack; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, of Hamilton, Missouri, who went by “Fulcrum”; William L.S. Falkner, 21, of Belfair, Washington, who went by “Pepsi”; Tycen J. Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio, who went by “Prox” and was the first arrested; Jordan W. Rincker, 28, of St. Joseph, Missouri, who went by “Shriveled Shlong”; Bryan O. Roa, 25, of Calimesa, California, who went by “Noble”; Chandler D. Scaggs, 21, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, who went by “Viper of the S.O.G.”; and Michael A. Thomas, 32, of Pinon Hills, California, who went by “Whiskey Six.”
Scaggs, who was allegedly assigned as one of the snipers, was the last to be arrested — taken into custody in West Virginia this week. An affidavit states that Scaggs was to be picked up by Proper to travel to Washington, but lost contact when Proper was arrested before the event. Scaggs allegedly told the group he was still willing to participate and made new plans for another coconspirator to drive him to the event, per the DOJ release.
How the Plot Worked
According to the original criminal complaints filed in June, the conspirators began communicating in approximately March 2026 across Signal, SimpleX, Discord, TikTok and Instagram. More serious members, including Proper, moved to encrypted apps. They planned to fly small drones armed with explosives over the north side of the UFC arena to force an evacuation, then deploy snipers to shoot “high value targets” in the fleeing crowd.
Alvarez, identified as the alleged ringleader under the handle “Shepherd,” posted detailed tactical instructions to the group including drone launch points, sniper positions and escape routes along the Potomac River. “This is the best action I see. Position your teams in the purple dots. Long range. Great shot. Easy out into the river,” Alvarez allegedly wrote, alongside a map. When another member asked about the drones, Alvarez allegedly replied, “As many and as deadly as we can get.”
Thomas, going by “Whiskey Six,” allegedly laid out an organizational structure with four tiers — ground operators, drivers and drone operators, logistical suppliers, and social media influencers. “Tier one status is not something to take lightly,” Thomas allegedly wrote. “$1,300 gets us the drones and the charges. Yes we should all pitch in and we need it ASAP.” Eskridge separately discussed assassinating members of Congress and prominent business executives, targeting some based on the group’s belief that certain legislators accepted money from pro-Israel lobbies.
Proper, the youngest defendant at 19, allegedly amassed firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition and tactical gear at his home in Ohio. He was arrested after speaking with investigators at a medical facility on June 11 — three days before the UFC event — and allegedly told them he had planned the attack with others and that members had been communicating since March, per the DOJ complaint.
How It Was Stopped
The FBI became aware of the plot on June 10, four days before the event, per the original DOJ announcement. The investigation was triggered in part by family members of the conspirators contacting law enforcement with concerns. A multi-state operation involving the FBI’s Cincinnati field office, the Secret Service, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, the Danville Police Department, the Columbus Police Department and U.S. Attorney’s Offices across Ohio, Nebraska, Missouri, California and Washington resulted in the arrests of five defendants the weekend of the event and two more approximately one week later. Scaggs was arrested this week, completing the sweep.
“On June 10, FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington, D.C. involving individuals outside of the National Capital Region — and thanks to the rapid action of this FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold,” Patel said in the initial June announcement. “This is nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team — we are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens.”
The UFC Freedom 250 Event
UFC Freedom 250 was held on the South Lawn of the White House on June 14, 2026, as part of the America 250 Semiquincentennial celebrations. President Trump attended the event, which featured fights broadcast to a national television audience. Netanyahu was not present at the event — prosecutors allege the group planned to murder him there regardless, according to the Jerusalem Post. The alleged plot was disrupted before any attack was carried out and no one at the event was harmed.
U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in the initial June announcement that protecting the president and White House grounds is “priority number one” and credited the agencies’ partnership for stopping the attack. “The landscape has changed, and as a result we have seen a dramatic rise in threats against our protectees,” Curran said. “I am proud of the men and women of the Secret Service that vigorously monitor, investigate, and arrest those that plot to interfere with our protective mission.” The investigation remains ongoing, according to the July 9 DOJ indictment release.