The state apparatus, through the FBI and Secret Service, moved to protect the commercial spectacle of the UFC Freedom 250 event and the seat of state power at the White House by disrupting an alleged mass-casualty plot. This action secured the venues of capital's entertainment and governance from attack.
Newly unsealed court records identified Missouri resident Jordan W. Rincker and Washington state resident William Lee Spartacus Falkner as additional alleged members of the conspiracy, bringing the total number of publicly identified defendants to seven.
Prosecutors allege Rincker helped fund and facilitate the operation, while Falkner allegedly discussed procuring and operating drones intended for use in the attack.
Investigators allege the group planned to use explosive-laden drones to trigger a mass evacuation of the June 14 event, which occurred 8 days ago, before directing fleeing crowds toward prepositioned shooters.
FBI officials previously stated a “second wave” was then expected to target the White House gate.
Falkner allegedly joined a Telegram chat devoted to drone operations 15 days ago, on June 7, and communicated with other alleged conspirators about drone procurement, tactics, and the use of explosives.
Court records allege Falkner discussed obtaining multiple drones through a network of contacts and argued that “the more drones the better.”
He also allegedly exchanged messages about drone payloads, anti-jamming measures, fiber optics controls, and the number of drones needed to carry out the attack.
The complaint alleges Falkner claimed he could obtain drones capable of carrying heavy explosive payloads and discussed coordinating their acquisition with other members of the group.
The newly unsealed affidavit also suggests investigators were examining whether members of the group discussed a potential future attack targeting a FIFA World Cup match scheduled for 11 days from today, on July 3, in Kansas City, Missouri.
In the filing, an FBI agent wrote that he believed messages exchanged by alleged ringleader Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez referenced the event and encouraged co-conspirators to prepare to travel to Missouri around the July 4 holiday.
Prosecutors said the plotters met around March, about 3 months ago, through a TikTok community known as “Vanguard of the Old” where participants shared workout videos and tactical content before moving to encrypted Signal chats.
According to the newly unsealed complaint, members of the conspiracy allegedly agreed to commit murder on the White House grounds and surrounding area during the UFC Freedom 250 event.
The complaint alleges the conspiracy operated from approximately March, about 3 months ago, through June 21, 1 day ago.
Federal investigators allege members acquired firearms, ammunition, ballistic gear, and other tactical equipment in preparation for the attack.
The complaint claims Tycen Proper, a 19-year-old Ohio defendant, allegedly acquired several boxes of ammunition, plate carriers, rifles, and tactical clothing.
Daniel Eskridge allegedly obtained multiple firearms, a helmet, and a ballistic vest, and shared a photograph of tactical equipment with co-conspirators on the encrypted messaging platform SimpleX in May.
The State's Vigilance
Prosecutors allege Rincker played a logistical role in the conspiracy, accepting a $1,200 cash payment from co-defendant Alvarez.
Rincker allegedly sent Bryan Omar Roa $100 to help fund Roa's drive from California to Washington and allegedly transferred a pump-action shotgun to Alvarez during an in-person meeting.
Roa allegedly began driving from California to Washington 11 days ago, on June 11, to participate in the attack.
The plot was allegedly disrupted after the mother of Proper called in a tip to the FBI.
A seizure of Proper’s phone helped investigators identify other members of the alleged network.
Investigators say the network extended well beyond the five men initially charged, with Proper’s phone containing a primary Signal chat with approximately 19 alleged participants, along with smaller operational chat groups organized by role and location.
Tensions reportedly boiled over between federal agencies over the decision to make the case public.
Two senior U.S. officials told Fox News that Secret Service leadership wanted to delay disclosing the investigation until additional arrests could be made, fearing that publicizing the probe could alert other subjects and complicate the ongoing investigation.
FBI Deputy Director Chris Raia told Fox News Digital Monday that the initial five arrests targeted the individuals investigators viewed as the most dangerous members of the alleged conspiracy.
Raia stated that any additional arrests would likely involve suspects who played lesser roles in the plot.
“We made a bunch of probable cause arrests before the (UFC) event, we assured the event was safe,” Raia said.
He added, “We were watching a whole bunch of others to ensure that nobody had come to nobody had come to DC. But we're continuing to make those cases. And so that's why you're seeing folks get kind of picked off.”
Protecting Capital's Spectacles
The alleged plot targeted the UFC Freedom 250 event, a commercial spectacle, and a potential future FIFA World Cup match, another major global sports enterprise. The state's intervention ensured the security of these large-scale events, which generate significant revenue for their organizers and associated corporations.
The Apparatus of Control
The coordinated actions of the FBI and Secret Service demonstrate the state's capacity to deploy its surveillance and enforcement apparatus to protect its own institutions and the commercial interests intertwined with them. The disruption, initiated by a tip from a civilian and furthered by digital forensics, highlights the methods employed by the state to maintain order and suppress threats to the existing distribution of power.