Seven additional defendants have been convicted on a litany of charges in connection with the July 4 attack that antifa perpetrated on the Prairieland Detention Center.
The charges include attempted murder of officers and employees of the United States, providing material support to terrorists, rioting, discharging a firearm in relation to a violent crime, corruptly concealing a document or record, and conspiracy to conceal documents.
The court sentenced the group to a collective 450 years in prison.
Benjamin Song, who shot an Alvarado police officer responding to the attack, received a 100-year sentence.
“Today’s sentencings show the FBI remains committed to identifying, locating, and dismantling antifa and its funding networks across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel on Tuesday. “Acts of violence against our law enforcement partners will not be tolerated, and we continue our work to protect communities across the country from domestic terrorism.”
According to the DOJ’s statement, the sentencing follows a 12-day trial earlier this year, which included testimony from 46 witnesses and the exhibition of 210 pieces of evidence.
Seven additional members of the cell pleaded guilty before trial on one count of providing material support for terrorists and are scheduled to be sentenced on July 1.
The trial brought to light that each defendant was a part of the North Texas antifa cell, which explicitly called for the overthrow of the U.S. government and federal law.
Testimony established that on the night of July 4, eleven defendants attacked the detention facility, which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement utilized to detain illegal aliens for deportation.
All members dressed in “black bloc,” which involves wearing black clothing from head to toe to hide identities.
Evidence introduced at the trial included body armor, rifles, and military-style first aid kits used to treat gunshot wounds. Fingerprint and cellphone evidence also linked the perpetrators to the crime.
The cell arrived at the facility and began throwing fireworks and vandalizing government property, including slashing the tires of a facility van. After police arrived on scene, the officer’s body cam captured Song yelling, “get to the rifles.” Song then opened fire on the officers and struck one person in the neck.
“The sentences handed down today make clear that antifa terrorists who attack law enforcement and federal facilities will face swift and uncompromising justice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Their violent extremism has no place in our country, and the Department of Justice will continue to aggressively investigate, disrupt, and prosecute those who threaten law enforcement officers or undermine the rule of law.”
