Additional Arrests in Alleged UFC Plot
Since Friday, two more men have been arrested in connection with an alleged plot targeting this month’s Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event held on the White House lawn, as reported by prosecutors on Monday. William Lee Spartacus Falkner was apprehended in Washington state on Friday, while Jordan W. Rincker was detained in Missouri on Sunday, according to the Department of Justice.
With these new arrests, the total number of individuals involved in the alleged plot rises to seven. Fortunately, no injuries occurred during the event, and no attack took place. Federal prosecutors revealed that conspirators of the alleged plot had entertained the idea of deploying drones equipped with explosives over the event and then firing into the evacuating crowd.
Falkner and Rincker have both been charged with a single count of conspiracy to commit murder, as stated by the Department of Justice. Falkner reportedly possesses training in the use of drones and engaged in online discussions about utilizing them with explosives. Rincker is accused of accepting $1,200 from another person previously arrested, intending to distribute the funds among other conspirators. Furthermore, Rincker allegedly met the individual in Omaha, where he provided a 12-gauge pump shotgun, and received a ballistic plate, a 3D printer, and other items in exchange.
Investigators discovered two rifles, a 9mm pistol, a 3D-printed Glock-style handgun, a gas mask, a ballistic plate, a plate carrier, and a shield, among other items, at Rincker’s residence and in a storage unit on Sunday, the Justice Department disclosed.
The men have been charged via criminal complaint, which differs from an indictment issued by a grand jury. On Monday, online federal court documents did not show whether Falkner or Rincker have entered pleas. The federal public defender representing Falkner did not immediately reply to an email request for comment, and no attorney for Rincker was listed as of Monday afternoon.
The UFC event, named UFC Freedom 250, took place on June 14, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, in a venue set up on the White House lawn. The administration indicated the event was to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. President Trump, administration officials, and VIPs, including Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, attended the live event.