Alvarado, Texas – Federal authorities have indicted nine alleged members of a North Texas Antifa cell and charged seven additional individuals in connection with a violent July 4 attack on the Prairieland Detention Center, an immigration facility in Alvarado. The Justice Department confirmed the charges, first detailed in a report by Fox News, noting that the incident included an attempted murder of a police officer and a coordinated criminal effort involving explosives, firearms and encrypted communications.
Nine Suspected Antifa Members Face Multiple Federal Charges
The individuals indicted include Cameron Arnold, Zachary Evetts, Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto, and Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada. They face a sweeping set of charges tied to the July attack, including rioting with intent to commit violence, providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to use explosives, attempted murder of law enforcement, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
A separate set of defendants — Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Susan Kent, Rebecca Morgan, Lynette Sharp and John Thomas — were charged with providing material support to terrorists. A sixteenth individual, Seth Sikes, was charged in October with the same offense.
Federal Officials Call the Incident a Terrorist Attack
Senior federal officials described the attack as a deliberate, coordinated effort by a violent extremist cell.
“Anyone who targets law enforcement or uses violence to advance an anarchist agenda will face the full weight of the federal government,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement. “These are domestic terrorists, and under President Trump’s leadership, we’re finding them and bringing them to justice.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson noted the unprecedented nature of the charges:
“This is the first indictment in the country against a group of violent Antifa cell members.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi added that the Justice Department is prosecuting such groups as aggressively as transnational criminal organizations, saying the department intends to pursue similar cases nationwide.
What Happened During the July 4 Detention Center Riot
Federal prosecutors say 11 suspects arrived at the facility in black bloc attire — dark clothing with face coverings to conceal identity — before launching an orchestrated assault on the ICE detention center. According to investigators, the group fired and threw fireworks at the building, vandalized vehicles, and damaged a guard shack on federal property.
When an Alvarado police officer responded to 911 calls from correctional staff, the situation escalated. Prosecutors say that as the officer issued commands to Baumann, Benjamin Song shouted, “Get to the rifles,” before opening fire. The officer was struck in the neck, causing officers and unarmed facility staff to take cover.
Song fled the scene but was captured on July 15, ending what officials described as a multi-week search.
Investigators Say the Cell Stockpiled Weapons and Planned in Secret
Before the attack, prosecutors say the Antifa group acquired more than 50 guns in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Their planning involved encrypted messaging apps with auto-delete features and the use of monikers to hide identities.
The group allegedly engaged in reconnaissance around the detention facility and held discussions about their equipment, including firearms, fireworks and medical kits.
Federal officials say these tactics reflect the structured nature of the cell, which they describe as part of a larger militant network advocating the overthrow of U.S. law enforcement and government institutions.
Upcoming Court Appearances
The nine indicted defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court for arraignment on December 3, where they will formally hear the charges against them.
