Two SoCal men are accused of being co-conspirators in a plot to attack the White House UFC fight
Two Inland Empire men have been arrested and charged in what federal officials described as a plot to kill government officials and others at a UFC cage fighting show at the White House last weekend.
The two Southern Californians are among five people arrested nationwide in a killing spree that authorities say appears to have been motivated by anti-government sentiment.
Here’s what we know so far about the men and the plot:
Who are they?
Michael Alan Thomas, 32, was arrested in Piñon Hills in San Bernardino County on Saturday, charged with conspiracy to commit murder, according to U.S. Department of Justice officials and records.
Bryan Omar Roa, 24, was arrested the same day about 50 miles south in Riverside County’s Calimesa, and charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
According to the complaint filed in federal court in California, Roa and Thomas had been in close contact, but met at least once last month to practice tricks and tricks.
1. Bryan Bryan Omar Roa, 24, was arrested Saturday in Calimesa, Calif. 2. Michael Alan Thomas, 32, was arrested Saturday in Piñon Hills, Calif. (Department of Justice)
In messages sent through a private messaging service called SimpleX, Thomas and Roa communicated in a conversation titled “Vanguard of the Old Republic,” according to the complaint. There, Thomas told Roa that he “went up the hill behind LA,” specifying that he was in Piñon Hills, to which Roa replied that he was in Yucaipa. Yucaipa is near Calimesa, where officials said Roa was arrested.
The two men were linked to the plot a week before the UFC fight was scheduled, after a relative of the alleged plotter tipped off the authorities. The mastermind, Tycen C. Proper, of Danville, Ohio, identified Roa and Thomas as part of the conspiracy, and shared the usernames on social media, according to the criminal complaint.
What was the goal of the attack?
Authorities say Thomas admitted he helped plan the attack and encouraged others to take part. In an interview with FBI agents, Thomas allegedly told authorities that the purpose of this and future attacks was to create enough chaos to overthrow the US government, according to the criminal complaint.
Authorities said he expressed his belief that the US government is run by an elite group of people who sacrifice and eat babies. According to the complaint, Thomas also talked about the disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein, who is accused of trafficking girls and young women, and said that Epstein’s friends are now protected by President Trump.
Court documents say Roa denies involvement in the plot.
Roa later told authorities that he had planned to attend the UFC event only as a protester, but his car malfunctioned and he had to return home. Members of his family, however, told law enforcement that Roa said one day he would wake up and be gone, and that he intended to go to Washington, where “big things” would happen.
“Roa’s family members also believed that he intended to commit an act of violence during the trip due to the increased time he spent firing his weapons and a noticeable change in behavior including increased anxiety, anger and isolation,” the complaint said.
Both were arrested on Saturday, the day before the event on the White House lawn.
FBI agents found guns, a tactical belt and radios inside Roa’s car. Inside Thomas’ home, investigators described finding a handgun, a hunting rifle, an AR-style rifle and several 30-round magazines.
Fireworks go off as Justin Gaethje celebrates after defeating Ilia Topuria in a lightweight title fight during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House.
(Saul Loeb/Pool AFP via AP)
What about the structure?
According to court records, the accomplices allegedly negotiated using drones to drop explosives on the north side of the White House to create panic and funnel attendees to areas where there would be snipers ready to kill high-value targets.
Federal agents became aware of the alleged plot on June 10, four days before the UFC fight, after Proper’s mother reported concerns about her son’s recent behavior, including buying guns and socializing online, to launch an investigation, according to the criminal complaint.
When police arrived at Proper’s residence that night, a family member told police that Proper was planning to leave next weekend to meet people on the Internet and said he had just gotten camping gear, food, body armor plates, a new gun, a shotgun, “lots” of ammunition, extra magazines and other plate-carrying equipment.
Proper was taken to the hospital, the complaint said, where law enforcement applied for an emergency admission based on his homicidal ideation. The next day, the FBI searched Proper’s home and found a journal in which he wrote about a government that wants to control people and sacrifice children and others to a demon possessed person.
Who are you targeting?
Authorities say the magazine contains a list of about 46 names, including celebrities and politicians. When authorities searched his iPhone, “investigators observed conversations on Signal teams that laid out detailed plans for an attack on Washington, DC, with several unknown participants,” according to the complaint.
“In those interviews, law enforcement saw detailed photos of the National Capitol Region and area maps with distinct potential shooter locations highlighted, potential drone launch locations identified, and other detailed planning areas,” the complaint states.
When FBI investigators interviewed Proper at a mental health facility, he allegedly admitted to planning a coordinated government attack that would take place during UFC Freedom 250.
What is the case now?
Two men arrested in Southern California made their first appearance in U.S. District Court in Riverside on Monday and were ordered held without bond. Roa’s trial is set for July 7. Thomas’ trial is set for July 21.
Roa and Thomas were both booked into the San Bernardino County Jail, according to jail records.
Charges against Proper, 19, are pending, as are charges against two other alleged conspirators: Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, of Kidder, Miss., and Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, of Omaha.
