UFC Freedom 250 already had one of the strangest fight-week backstories the sport has ever seen. Now the alleged White House attack plot tied to the June 14 card has turned into one federal indictment covering eight men, a major follow-up after MiddleEasy previously covered Alexander Mercado being charged as the eighth defendant.
The Department of Justice announced Thursday that a federal grand jury in Columbus, Ohio, indicted all eight defendants in two alleged conspiracies connected to the planned attack on government officials and others attending the UFC event at the White House. Prosecutors say the indictment replaces the earlier criminal complaints filed in multiple districts around the country.
The U.S. Attorney’s office also posted the indictment update on X:
Federal grand jury indicts 8 men in conspiracies related to plot to attack UFC Freedom 250 event at White House, kill government officials
Eighth alleged coconspirator who was to participate as sniper during attack arrested by FBI in West Virginia this week… pic.twitter.com/GNuUaZgwpt— US Attorney Southern District of Ohio (@SDOHnews) July 9, 2026
The charges are heavy. All eight men are accused of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official. The DOJ said the alleged plan targeted President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, other federal officials, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Elon Musk and other high-value targets at the event.
Federal prosecutors fold the White House UFC case into one indictment
According to prosecutors, the case began with the investigation into Tycen C. Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio. Proper and four other men were arrested around the weekend of UFC Freedom 250, while two more defendants were arrested roughly a week later in Washington and Missouri. Chandler D. Scaggs, 21, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, was taken into custody this week and was allegedly assigned to participate as a sniper.
The DOJ named the eight defendants as Abraham H. Alvarez, Daniel K. Eskridge, William L. S. Falkner, Tycen J. Proper, Jordan W. Rincker, Bryan O. Roa, Chandler D. Scaggs and Michael A. Thomas. Prosecutors allege the group started gathering money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment, communications gear and other supplies in May.
That is why this is more than a simple recap of the earlier arrests. MiddleEasy previously covered the FBI saying two more men had been arrested in the White House UFC plot, but Thursday’s indictment puts all eight defendants into the same two-count federal case. Prosecutors also say the alleged communications ran through Signal, SimpleX, Discord, TikTok and Instagram.
The indictment alleges the defendants built a tier system for participants, discussed targets, trained with firearms and mapped out operational plans for the attack and escape. Federal officials say the material-support conspiracy carries up to 15 years in prison, while the murder-conspiracy charge carries a possible life sentence.
The UFC’s White House event was already a political and sports-business circus, from security questions to the South Lawn buildout that followed Trump’s criticism of the original arena plan. The new indictment now puts the alleged threat response back on the board after MiddleEasy also covered the 4,300-seat White House arena expansion before fight night.
For all the wild details, the legal part still matters. The DOJ emphasized that an indictment contains allegations only, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The next fight here is not in the cage. It is in federal court, where prosecutors now have one consolidated case instead of scattered complaints across several states.
