A group of individuals identified as part of an ‘Antifa cell’ has been found guilty in connection with an assault on a Texas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, during which a police officer was shot in the neck. The incident has drawn significant attention due to its violent nature and the involvement of multiple operatives.
On July 4, 2025, under the leadership of Benjamin Song, nine individuals armed with rifles descended on the Prairieland detention center. Their attack was marked by the use of fireworks as they targeted the building, escalating tensions and causing chaos.
The trial, which concluded with a mixed verdict, involved defendants Cameron Arnold, Zachary Evetts, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto, Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada, and Song himself. The jury’s decision on Friday highlighted the varying degrees of involvement among the group members in this violent episode.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Song was deemed the ringleader and was convicted of attempted murder for shooting Alvarado Police Lieutenant Thomas Gross during the confrontation. This conviction underscores the severity of his actions during the attack.
Except for Sanchez-Estrada, all defendants were found guilty of charges including providing material support to terrorists, rioting, conspiring to use and carry explosives, and using explosives during a riot. These convictions reflect the coordinated and dangerous nature of their actions.
Sanchez-Estrada, who was not present during the attack, was convicted of corruptly concealing a document and conspiracy to conceal documents. Maricela Rueda also faced a conviction for conspiracy to conceal documents, highlighting the broader network of support and planning behind the incident.
‘These guilty verdicts and convictions rightly reflect the vicious, armed attack that these Antifa cell members planned and executed against law enforcement and detention center officers on the night of July 4 last year,’ North Texas attorney Ryan Raybould said in the DOJ release.
‘Their terrorist acts, attempted murder, vandalism and explosives launched at a detention center facility were a far cry from some peaceful protest or First Amendment expression.’
Top L-R: Benjamin Song, Bradford Morris, Savanna Batten, Maricela Rueda. Bottom L-R: Cameron Arnold, Zachary Evetts, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto
Fireworks were pictured being released by the group during the attack on the facility
The group attacked the Prairieland ICE facility, seen above, on July 4, 2025
Antifa, short for ‘anti-fascists,’ refers to those involved in far-left militant groups that oppose fascism, neo-Nazis and white supremacists.
Defense attorneys said most protesters began leaving when two guards from the center came outside before any shots were fired.
Prosecutors argued that Song, a former US Marine Corps reservist, yelled ‘get to the rifles’ and opened fire, striking one police officer who had just arrived to the scene.
Police Lieutenant Gross testified that he recalled seeing a person dressed in black, with their face covered, and carrying a rifle. He told the court that he was shot, and sustained wounds to his shoulder and neck.
Phillip Hayes, Song’s attorney, told the jury that Gross had ‘aggressively’ brandished a gun, prompting the use of firearms from the defendants.
Evidence found that collectively, the group acquired more than 50 firearms in the Fort Worth/Dallas area prior to the attack, according to the DOJ press release.
Sanchez-Estrada’s attorney, Christopher Weinbel, said he can’t believe jurors ‘came to this conclusion.’ Weinbel said he has deployed as a member of the Army several times in the defense of the US and he’d hoped what he sacrificed ‘meant something.’
‘The US lost today with this verdict,’ he said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement to Fox News: ‘Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization that has been allowed to flourish in Democrat-led cities – not under President Trump.’
North Texas attorney Ryan Raybould said: ‘Their terrorist acts, attempted murder, vandalism and explosives launched at a detention center facility were a far cry from some peaceful protest or First Amendment expression’
FBI Director Kash Patel said: ‘Today’s verdict shows the FBI remains committed to identifying, locating and dismantling Antifa and its funding networks across the country’
Surveillance footage of the fireworks being released on the day of the attack
‘Today’s verdict on terrorism charges will not be the last as the Trump administration systematically dismantles Antifa and finally halts their violence on America’s streets.’
FBI Director Kash Patel said: ‘Today’s verdict shows the FBI remains committed to identifying, locating and dismantling Antifa and its funding networks across the country.’
‘Acts of violence against our law enforcement partners will not be tolerated, and we continue our work to protect communities across the country from domestic terrorism,’ he added.
Patel later posted on X: ‘A federal jury just convicted nine violent extremists for the July 4 attack on an ICE detention center in Texas. They ambushed law enforcement, shot an officer in the neck, and thought they’d get away with it. Today justice prevailed.’
‘Terrorists who target our agents will face the full force of federal law. We will continue dismantling violent extremist networks and the funding pipelines that support them. Thank you to our partners across law enforcement and to the Attorney General and the Department of Justice for ensuring these prosecutions moved forward.’
Homeland Security Investigations Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard said that the case marked ‘a historic moment’ representing ‘the nation’s initial federal indictment targeting a coordinated group of Antifa cell members engaged in violent criminal activity.’
‘The charges demonstrate our unwavering commitment to confronting domestic terrorism and protecting our communities from organized threats,’ Pickard added.
Song, who was viewed as the leader according to the office of public affairs, faces a minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Arnold, Evetts, Morris, Rueda, Batten, Elizabeth and Ines Soto, each face a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison.
Sanchez-Estrada faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
