Story perspectives

Two Plead Not Guilty to White House UFC Plot

7/16/2026

Summary

Defendants Plead Not-guilty

Two men charged with a plot to attack UFC Freedom 250 at the White House have pleaded not guilty.
They are among eight people indicted for a suspected drone and sniper assault on the event.
Authorities allege the group planned to use aerial and ground-based weapons during the January card.
The other six defendants have not yet entered pleas, with court dates still unannounced.

Summary

Law Enforcement Intervenes

Law enforcement discovered the plot days before UFC Freedom 250 and intervened.
A federal affidavit says a defendant planned explosive drones in the arena and fire on crowds.
The indictment cites grievances of corruption, water-guzzling data centers, and the Trump administration’s handling of Epstein files.
Seven suspects were arrested in Ohio, Missouri, Washington, Nebraska and California.
All eight defendants are consolidated before Judge Edmund Sargus Jr. in Ohio for a joint trial.

Summary

DOJ Indicts Eight

The U.S. Department of Justice charged eight men in a two-count indictment filed in federal court in Columbus, Ohio.
Federal investigators, acting on the complaint against Tycen C. Proper of Danville, arrested five suspects the UFC weekend and two more a week later in Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, California and Washington.
Local and federal agencies coordinated the multi-state operation, consolidating all eight charges into a single federal proceeding.

History

Historical Context

On April 19 1995, Timothy McVeigh detonated a Ryder truck at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 and prompting nationwide anti-terror reforms. The attack, driven by the 1993 Waco siege and 1992 Ruby Ridge, reshaped federal security protocols. In 2024, the DOJ arrested eight Ohio suspects planning drone and sniper attacks on the UFC Freedom 250, reflecting that legacy.

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Defendants Plead Not-guilty

Two men charged with a plot to attack UFC Freedom 250 at the White House have pleaded not guilty.
They are among eight people indicted for a suspected drone and sniper assault on the event.
Authorities allege the group planned to use aerial and ground-based weapons during the January card.
The other six defendants have not yet entered pleas, with court dates still unannounced.

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