FOUR ARRESTED IN FOILED NEW YEAR’S EVE BOMBING PLOT TARGETING U.S. COMPANIES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Federal authorities have arrested four individuals accused of orchestrating a coordinated bombing campaign intended to strike U.S. companies on New Year’s Eve, disrupting what investigators describe as a developing domestic extremist plot involving improvised explosive devices and anti-government ideology.

The arrests were carried out Friday in the Mojave Desert, where investigators say the group had traveled to test and assemble explosive components. The defendants are charged with conspiracy and possession of an unregistered destructive device, offenses that carry significant federal prison exposure.

DEFENDANTS AND INITIAL CHARGES

The individuals taken into custody are:

• Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30, also known as “Asiginaak,” of South Los Angeles
• Zachary Aaron Page, 32, also known as “AK,” of Torrance
• Dante Gaffield, 24, also known as “Nomad,” of South Los Angeles
• Tina Lai, 41, also known as “Kickwhere,” of Glendale

All four are scheduled to make initial appearances in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

ALLEGED PLOT AND OPERATIONAL PLANNING

According to a sworn affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, Carroll and Page were affiliated with a group identifying itself as the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), which investigators say promoted anti-capitalist and anti-government views and openly advocated violence against U.S. institutions and officials through online messaging.

In late November 2025, Carroll allegedly authored and distributed an eight-page handwritten operational document titled “Operation Midnight Sun.” The document outlined a plan to conduct simultaneous bombings at multiple locations across the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, with detonations timed for midnight on New Year’s Eve.

The plan called for the use of backpack-borne improvised explosive devices, described by the group as complex pipe bombs, and included step-by-step guidance on device construction, concealment methods, and efforts to avoid forensic traceability. Investigators stated that Carroll acknowledged within the plan that the operation would be classified as a terrorist act.

STEPS TOWARD EXECUTION

Federal investigators allege that Carroll and Page recruited Gaffield and Lai to assist in executing the plot. The group allegedly acquired bomb-making materials and traveled to a remote area of the Mojave Desert on December 12, where they began preparing test devices.

While in the desert, investigators say the group unloaded materials, began assembling components on a table, constructed a tent to shield the materials from environmental exposure, and took steps consistent with active bomb construction. Carroll allegedly discussed processing explosive precursors and wiped down components to limit trace evidence.

Before a functional device could be completed, FBI agents intervened and arrested all four defendants, preventing the planned testing and any potential follow-on attacks.

LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE AND JOINT TASK FORCE ROLE

The investigation was led by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with extensive coordination across federal, state, and local agencies. Officials emphasized that the disruption occurred during the planning phase, preventing any public-facing attack.

Participating agencies included the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, and Palm Springs Police Department, with additional support from FBI field offices in Boston, Buffalo, and New Orleans.

Authorities noted that the timing of the alleged plot — coinciding with large public gatherings associated with New Year’s Eve — elevated the threat profile and urgency of intervention.

LEGAL STATUS AND POTENTIAL SENTENCING

A criminal complaint represents allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, the defendants face:

• Up to five years in federal prison for conspiracy
• Up to ten years in federal prison for possession of an unregistered destructive device

Sentencing outcomes would ultimately be determined by the court.

TRJ NOTE

This case reflects the continued evolution of domestic extremist activity toward small-cell operational planning, improvised explosives, and symbolic timing designed to maximize fear rather than tactical impact. The early-stage disruption underscores the role of intelligence monitoring, interagency coordination, and proactive intervention in preventing attacks before they move from ideology into irreversible action.

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