Federal jury convicts eight Antifa-tied suspects of terrorism over Texas detention center shooting

A federal jury in Texas convicted eight people on terrorism charges in connection with a July 4, 2025 shooting outside a Prairieland ICE Detention Center near Dallas.

“Eight individuals were convicted Friday by a federal jury on terrorism charges in connection with a July 4, 2025, shooting at a Texas immigration facility”

Daily Express US

This marked the first time material support to terrorism charges have been used against individuals accused of antifa ties.

Daily Express US

The nine defendants faced a variety of charges including providing material support to terrorists, attempted murder, conspiracy to use explosives, and rioting.

One defendant, Benjamin Song, was found guilty of attempted murder for shooting an Alvarado police officer in the neck during the incident.

Others were acquitted on some charges, while the verdict came after a 12-day trial closely watched as a test of the government's ability to prosecute protesters under terrorism statutes.

The incident occurred on July 4, 2025, when demonstrators gathered outside the Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado, Texas.

Prosecutors alleged the group planned an armed attack against the facility, with Benjamin Song, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, yelling 'get to the rifles' and opening fire.

Department of Justice (.gov)

The shooting wounded Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross, who was shot in the neck while responding to a 911 call.

Evidence presented by the government included firearms, ballistic vests, trauma first-aid kits, and Signal messages showing the demonstrators believed less confrontational protests were ineffective.

The prosecution characterized the event as an ambush orchestrated by what they described as a North Texas Antifa cell, pointing to the group's tactical preparations and use of black clothing as evidence of malicious intent.

Defense attorneys vigorously contested the government's characterization of the event as a terrorist attack.

“FORT WORTH, Texas - Jurors reached a mixed verdict in the trial for nine people accused of a 2025 "ambush" attack on a North Texas ICE detention facility”

FOX 4 News Dallas

They argued their clients had no antifa ties and had organized a peaceful 'noise demonstration' to show support for immigrants detained during the Trump administration's mass deportation operations.

Lawyers maintained there was no plan for violence and that firearms were carried only for protection.

They criticized the prosecution for stretching the definition of terrorism to include constitutionally protected protest activities.

Defense attorney Blake Burns told jurors the case was about the government trying to characterize protesters as terrorists in order to put them in prison.

Lisa Pamplin expressed shock at the verdict, stating 'I just didn't think riot or being labeled a terrorist organization, I just thought it was all overreach by the government.'

The defendants denied having any organizational connection to antifa, describing it as merely an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups rather than a single organization.

The trial represented a significant legal milestone as the first federal indictment targeting alleged Antifa-related domestic terrorism.

FBI Director Kash Patel called it unprecedented in targeting people accused of antifa membership.

KERA News

Legal experts and critics warned the case could set a dangerous precedent for criminalizing constitutionally protected protests.

Suzanne Adely of the National Lawyers Guild stated it helps 'the government kind of see how far they can go in criminalizing constitutionally protected protests and also helps them kind of intimidate, increase the fear, hoping that folks in other cities then will think twice over protesting.'

The case unfolded against the backdrop of the Trump administration's September 2025 executive order designating antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.

Attorney General Pam Bondi declared that '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.'

The verdict came after nearly three weeks of testimony in a Fort Worth courtroom presided over by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, a Trump appointee.

The jury returned a mixed verdict with some defendants acquitted on serious charges while others faced convictions on multiple counts.

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Benjamin Song was convicted of one count of attempted murder for shooting the officer but acquitted on two other attempted murder counts involving detention center employees.

NBC News

Song was also found guilty of discharging a firearm during a violent crime.

Four other defendants - Zachary Evetts, Autumn Hill, Meagan Morris and Maricela Rueda - were not guilty on attempted murder charges.

Daniel Estrada was found guilty of corruptly concealing a document or record and conspiracy to conceal documents, while his wife Maricela Rueda was also convicted of conspiracy to conceal documents.

Eight defendants were convicted on material support for terrorism charges for wearing black clothing to the demonstration, a tactic prosecutors called an 'antifa tactic' that assisted in the shooting.

All convicted defendants face sentencing in June, with Song potentially facing up to life in prison while others could receive up to 15 years on the terrorism charges.