Antifa Cell Members Convicted in Armed Prairieland ICE Detention Center Assault Following Coordinated July 4 Attack

A federal jury in Fort Worth, Texas has convicted nine North Texas Antifa Cell Members for their roles in a coordinated armed assault on the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, concluding a 12-day trial built on witness testimony, forensic evidence, and recovered operational communications tied to the July 4, 2025 incident.

The convictions stem from charges including riot, use of explosives, material support to terrorists, obstruction, and the attempted murder of a responding Alvarado police officer along with the endangerment of unarmed correctional officers present at the facility. The case establishes a structured operational cell with defined leadership, pre-event reconnaissance, coordinated logistics, and encrypted communications used to execute and conceal the attack.

Jurors reviewed testimony from more than 45 witnesses and over 210 exhibits detailing the activities of the indicted individuals: Cameron Arnold (a/k/a Autumn Hill), Zachary Evetts, Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris (a/k/a Meagan Morris), Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto, and Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada. An additional seven individuals—Seth Sikes, Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Susan Kent, Rebecca Morgan, Lynette Sharp, and John Thomas—previously entered guilty pleas to providing material support to terrorists, reinforcing the broader scope of the network involved.

Evidence presented at trial identified the group as part of a North Texas Antifa Cell operating within a wider militant framework aligned with anti-government and anti-law enforcement objectives. Testimony established that Benjamin Song acted as a central organizer, acquiring and distributing firearms, recruiting members through controlled environments such as gun ranges and combat-style sessions, and directing operational planning.

The attack followed a dual-phase structure. During daylight hours on July 4, individuals attended a public protest at the facility without tactical gear, using the opportunity to observe security conditions and relay intelligence back to other cell members. That reconnaissance phase transitioned into a nighttime operation marked by escalation into armed confrontation.

Late that night, at least eleven Antifa Cell Members arrived at the Prairieland facility equipped with eleven firearms, body armor, and military-grade medical kits containing tourniquets and trauma supplies. Participants wore “black bloc” attire—dark clothing with concealed identities—designed to eliminate individual distinction and complicate law enforcement identification during active engagement.

Once on site, the group initiated the assault by deploying fireworks used as improvised explosives, vandalizing vehicles, damaging a guard structure, and targeting surveillance systems. The situation escalated when law enforcement responded to emergency calls from detention personnel.

During the confrontation, body-worn camera evidence captured Benjamin Song issuing the command “get to the rifles!” before opening fire. A responding Alvarado police officer was struck in the neck, while unarmed correctional officers were forced to take cover under active gunfire. Most participants were apprehended near the scene. Song evaded capture temporarily before being located and arrested on July 15, 2025.

Digital evidence revealed deliberate counter-surveillance measures. Participants utilized encrypted messaging platforms with auto-delete functions, eliminating portions of their communication history. They operated under aliases within restricted group chats and conducted planning discussions limited to vetted participants. Device data and geolocation analysis showed that phones were either disabled or placed in Faraday bags during the operation to prevent tracking.

Recovered communications and testimony confirmed that the group conducted structured planning sessions, including a pre-attack “gear check” where weapons, attire, and objectives were finalized. Statements presented in court indicated that the operation included discussion of forcibly freeing detainees from the facility. Evidence further established that the group had acquired more than 50 firearms in the Dallas–Fort Worth region in the lead-up to the attack.

Post-event actions included deliberate attempts to conceal evidence. Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada was convicted for transporting and hiding materials tied to insurrectionary planning, anti-law enforcement propaganda, and operational coordination, with the intent to obstruct federal investigative proceedings. Additional conspiracy charges confirmed coordinated efforts to suppress evidence linking participants to the attack.

The jury returned convictions across multiple federal counts:

• Riot involving violent conduct including firearm discharge, explosive deployment, property destruction, and coordinated identity concealment
• Providing material support to terrorists through weapons, equipment, personnel, and logistical coordination
• Conspiracy to use and carry explosives and the execution of those actions during the riot
• Attempted murder of a federal officer and associated firearm discharge in furtherance of violent crimes
• Concealment and conspiracy to conceal documents and materials tied to the operation

Benjamin Song faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years with potential life imprisonment. Additional convicted Antifa Cell Members face sentencing ranges extending from 10 to 60 years. Sanchez-Estrada faces up to 40 years. The seven individuals who previously entered guilty pleas each face up to 15 years.

Sentencing proceedings are pending before United States District Judge Mark Pittman.

The investigation was conducted through coordinated federal, state, and local efforts involving the FBI Dallas Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, Texas Department of Public Safety, Alvarado Police Department, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecution was carried out by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Gatto, Shawn Smith, and Matt Capoccia.

The case establishes a documented example of a structured Antifa Cell operation utilizing reconnaissance, encrypted coordination, weapons staging, and identity concealment in a targeted assault against a federal detention facility, with subsequent federal prosecution addressing both the execution of the attack and the attempted destruction of evidentiary links.

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