NORTH TEXAS \u2014 Eight individuals convicted in last year\u2019s violent attack on the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado have been sentenced to a combined 450 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Northern District of Texas. The sentencings come just days before the one\u2011year anniversary of the July 4, 2025 incident, which prosecutors described as a coordinated assault carried out by members of a North Texas Antifa cell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The longest sentence\u2014100 years\u2014was imposed on Benjamin Hanil Song, whom prosecutors identified as the group\u2019s leader. Song was convicted of attempted murder for shooting an Alvarado police officer in the neck during the attack. According to the press release, \u201cSong can be heard on police bodycam video yelling, \u2018get to the rifles!\u2019 and then he opened fire on the officers,\u201d a line included in the government\u2019s evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seven additional defendants received sentences ranging from 30 to 70 years:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All eight were convicted at trial earlier this year on charges that included rioting, weapons offenses, providing material support to terrorists, obstruction, and attempted murder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to trial testimony cited in the press release, the defendants\u2014described as members of a local Antifa cell\u2014arrived at the detention facility late on July 4 dressed in \u201cblack bloc\u201d clothing and carrying firearms, fireworks, and body armor. Evidence presented to jurors included DNA and fingerprint matches on gear recovered at the scene, encrypted group chats discussing planning and reconnaissance, and testimony from correctional officers, responding police, and cooperating co\u2011defendants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prosecutors said the group launched fireworks and explosives at the facility, vandalized property, and opened fire when police arrived. The officer who was shot survived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government also presented evidence that the group had acquired more than 50 firearms in the months leading up to the attack and used encrypted messaging apps with auto\u2011delete functions to coordinate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Federal officials framed the sentences as a significant step in addressing violent extremism. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the outcome \u201cmake[s] clear that Antifa terrorists who attack law enforcement and federal facilities will face swift and uncompromising justice,\u201d according to the release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould called the attack \u201ca far cry from a peaceful protest or First Amendment expression,\u201d adding that the sentences \u201cjustly punish the vicious, armed attack\u201d carried out that night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FBI Director Kash Patel said the case reflects the bureau\u2019s continued efforts to \u201cidentify, locate, and dismantle Antifa and its funding networks across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seven other individuals\u2014Seth Sikes, Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Susan Kent, Rebecca Morgan, Lynette Sharp, and John Thomas\u2014pleaded guilty before trial to providing material support to terrorists. They face up to 15 years in federal prison and are scheduled to be sentenced July 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One additional defendant, Ines Soto, was convicted at trial but granted a continuance and will also be sentenced July 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sentences were handed down by U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman and Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O\u2019Connor. Judge Pittman noted during sentencing that \u201cit\u2019s by the grace of God that Song is not dead,\u201d referencing the officer\u2019s return fire striking Song\u2019s rifle rather than his body. Judge O\u2019Connor described the attack as \u201can assault on Democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The case was investigated by the FBI Dallas Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Alvarado Police Department, and the Johnson County Sheriff\u2019s Office, with assistance from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All suspects awaiting trial are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NORTH TEXAS \u2014 Eight individuals convicted in last year\u2019s violent attack on the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado have been sentenced to a combined 450 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Northern District of Texas. The sentencings come just days before the one\u2011year anniversary of the July 4, 2025 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1482,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hvhappens.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hvhappens.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hvhappens.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hvhappens.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hvhappens.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1481"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hvhappens.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1483,"href":"https:\/\/hvhappens.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1481\/revisions\/1483"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hvhappens.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hvhappens.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hvhappens.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hvhappens.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}