FORT WORTH, Texas — A federal jury convicted eight defendants Friday on terrorism-related charges for their roles in a July 4, 2025 attack on the Prairieland ICE detention center that left one police officer shot in the neck.
The verdicts mark the first time individuals have been prosecuted as members of an antifa terrorist cell in federal court, following the Trump administration’s designation of antifa as a domestic terrorist organization in September 2025. Benjamin Song, identified by prosecutors as the shooter, faces a minimum of 20 years and up to life in federal prison after being convicted of attempted murder and firearms charges. Seven other defendants face sentences ranging from 10 to 60 years on charges including providing material support to terrorists, rioting, and carrying explosives during a riot.
The 12-day trial in Fort Worth began February 23, 2026, with prosecutors presenting testimony from more than 45 witnesses and over 210 exhibits. Jurors deliberated for approximately a day and a half before reaching their verdict around 2:30 p.m. Friday. The attack occurred just after 10:30 p.m. on July 4, 2025, when nine defendants dressed in dark clothing arrived at the Prairieland facility in Alvarado, Texas. “Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization that has been allowed to flourish in Democrat-led cities — not under President Trump,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “Today’s verdict on terrorism charges will not be the last as the Trump administration systematically dismantles antifa and finally halts their violence on America’s streets.”
Prosecutors argued the group launched a coordinated ambush on the immigration detention facility, using fireworks as a diversion before attacking responding officers. Benjamin Song, 29, was convicted on one count of attempted murder after shooting Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross in the neck with an AR-15 rifle. The officer survived his injuries and has fully recovered, according to Alvarado Police Chief Teddy May. “It’s unfortunate for Mr. Song,” May said. “He made some poor decisions, and it seems like he’s now going to have to be paying his debt to society.” The other defendants convicted on terrorism charges include Cameron Arnold (formerly known as Autumn Hill), Zachary Evetts, Bradford Morris (formerly known as Meagan Morris), Maricela Rueda, Savanna Batten, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto. Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada, who was not present during the attack, was convicted of concealing documents and conspiracy charges.
Evidence presented during the trial included surveillance footage showing fireworks being set off along the facility’s tree line, spray-painted vehicles, slashed tires on a government van, and a damaged security camera. Investigators seized weapons, tactical gear, and bulletproof vests from the defendants’ homes and traced their phone locations to the scene. Several cooperating witnesses testified that the group brought a cache of weapons to the protest but left most in their van. One witness testified that Song later admitted to shooting the officer. FBI Director Kash Patel said the verdict demonstrates the bureau’s commitment to dismantling violent extremist networks. “They ambushed law enforcement, shot an officer in the neck, and thought they’d get away with it,” Patel stated in a post on X. The case stemmed from what prosecutors described as a premeditated terror attack inspired by antifa ideology, while defense attorneys argued their clients planned a peaceful noise demonstration with fireworks to show solidarity with detainees inside the facility.
The attack on the Prairieland facility occurred during heightened tensions over immigration enforcement, with the defendants meeting through self-defense classes, the Socialist Rifle Association, and a leftwing book club. Some defendants did not know each other before the protest, according to testimony. The case followed the Trump administration’s September 2025 designation of antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, despite critics arguing that antifa represents an ideology rather than an organized group with formal membership. The first charges in the Prairieland case were filed weeks after the terror designation. During the trial, prosecutors showed jurors materials seized from defendants’ homes, including zines with inflammatory titles, anti-Trump stickers reading “Make America not Exist Again,” and Socialist Rifle Association pamphlets. The defendants used encrypted Signal messaging with pseudonyms and auto-deleting messages, which prosecutors cited as evidence of coordination, though defense attorneys noted such practices are common among protesters concerned about government surveillance.
All eight defendants present during the attack were convicted of rioting, providing material support to terrorists, and carrying explosives during a riot. However, the jury acquitted four defendants — Arnold, Evetts, Morris, and Rueda — of attempted murder and firearms charges, while convicting Song on those counts. Song was found not guilty on two other attempted murder charges but convicted on a third count. “We are thankful that the jury could see through the Government’s fear mongering Antifa ‘ambush’ narrative,” said Cody Cofer, an attorney representing Arnold. Seven additional defendants previously pleaded guilty to single counts of providing material support to terrorists and face up to 15 years in federal prison each. These defendants include Seth Sikes, Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Susan Kent, Rebecca Morgan, Lynette Sharp, and John Thomas. U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, who presided over the trial, will set sentencing dates for all 16 defendants. The judge questioned prosecutors during closing arguments about the relevance of antifa to the charges, asking “Whether it’s antifa or the Methodist Women’s Auxiliary of Weatherford, why does it matter?”
Defense attorneys argued throughout the trial that the government was prosecuting protesters based on their political beliefs rather than their actions. “The government is asking you to put protesters in prison as terrorists. You are the only people who can stop that,” Blake Burns, an attorney for Elizabeth Soto, told jurors during closing arguments. The defendants brought firearms to the protest legally purchased for self-defense, according to defense testimony, and were surprised when violence erupted. Christopher Weinbel, attorney for Sanchez-Estrada, expressed disbelief at the verdicts. “I feel like it turned its back on justice with this,” Weinbel said. “The US lost today with this verdict.” The DFW Support Committee, a coalition supporting the defendants, called the trial “a sham trial, built on political persecution and ideological attacks.” ICE Director Todd Lyons said the convictions demonstrate that “those who choose violence over lawful expression will face the full force of the American justice system.”
The convictions represent a significant victory for the Trump administration’s efforts to prosecute antifa-affiliated individuals under federal terrorism statutes. The material support charge used in this case does not require membership in a designated terrorist organization but applies to anyone who assists in carrying out specific federal crimes, including damaging government property and attempting to kill law enforcement officers. Sentencing hearings are expected to begin in June 2026, with Song facing the most severe penalties due to his attempted murder and firearms convictions. The case continues with additional state charges pending against the defendants, according to the DFW Support Committee.
Now hopefully the Federal Government will immediately begin Arresting and Charging every single ANTIFA member in every state. Under RICO they are all just as guilty as the Scumbag who pulled the trigger and they are all Guilty of Carrying Explosives. Time to Rid society of ANTIFA by putting them all into the General Population in America’s Worst Prisons. The Government can finally make ANTIFA Extinct