Three men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are hit with additional charges of conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction to blow up a bridge

 A federal grand jury brought additional charges on Wednesday against three men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, saying they planned to use weapons of mass destruction to blow up a bridge.

Adam Fox, 40, of Wyoming, Michigan; Barry Croft Jr, 45, of Bear, Delaware; and Daniel Joseph Harris, 23, of Lake Orion, Michigan, were charged with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property, the US Justice Department said.

Fox, Croft and Harris along with Brandon Caserta, Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks were arrested and charged in October with conspiring to grab Whitmer, a Democrat, from her vacation home in Antrim County, a rural area in northern Michigan.


Prosecutors said the men, who face up to life in prison if convicted, were part of a plot by a right-wing militia extremist group known as the Wolverine Watchmen to abduct Whitmer in retribution for public health orders she imposed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.


Daniel Harris
Adam Fox
Barry Croft Jr

A federal grand jury brought additional charges on Wednesday against Adam Fox (center), 40, Barry Croft Jr (right), 45, and Daniel Harris (left), 23, accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer

Fox, Croft and Harris along with Brandon Caserta, Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks were arrested and charged in October with conspiring to grab Whitmer (left), a Democrat, from her vacation home in Antrim County, a rural area in northern Michigan

Fox, Croft and Harris along with Brandon Caserta, Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks were arrested and charged in October with conspiring to grab Whitmer (left), a Democrat, from her vacation home in Antrim County, a rural area in northern Michigan

The Watchmen had met periodically for firearms and tactical training in remote areas 'to prepare for the "boogaloo,"' a term referencing a violent uprising against the government or impending politically motivated civil war,' state police Det Sgt Michael Fink wrote in an affidavit. 

In the new indictment, Fox, Croft and Harris were accused of planning to destroy a bridge near Whitmer's vacation home in order to hinder the response by law enforcement.

The indictment accuses the men of discussing kidnapping Whitner, meeting in July 2020 in Wisconsin to practice using assault rifles, and surveilling Whitmer’s vacation home in August and September 2020, mapping out how far it was from the nearest police station. 

The indictment also said that on September 12, 2020, Fox and Croft stopped to inspect the underside of a highway bridge for a place to mount an explosive charge.


The next day, Fox ordered $4,000 worth of explosives for an undercover FBI agent posing as a co-conspirator, the indictment said. 

It added that about three weeks later, Fox and Harris made payments toward the explosives, the indictment said. 

The new indictment also accused Croft and Harris of possessing a 'destructive device' that was not registered as required by federal law. It said Harris also possessed an unregistered semiautomatic assault rifle between July 10, 2020 and September 13, 2020.   

Lawyers for the men were not immediately available for comment. 

Paul Bellar
Pete Musico
Joe Morrison

Last month, Jackson County District Court Judge Michael Klaeren threw out threw out charges for communicating a threat of terrorism against Paul Bellar, 21, (left) Pete Musico, 42, (center) and Joe Morrison, 26, (right). They were also accused of plotting to kidnap Whitmer 

Disturbing videos show 'training' of would-be Whitmer kidnappers
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Eight other men who were accused of taking part in the kidnapping plot have been charged in Michigan state court with domestic terrorism and are also characterized by prosecutors as members or associates of the Wolverine Watchmen.

Garbin broke ranks with his co-defendants in January and pleaded guilty to a federal kidnapping conspiracy charge.

For the deal, he agreed to testify against those charged as co-conspirators in both federal and state investigations. 

Sentencing for Garbin, who remains in custody, was set for July 8, and he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.  

While the plea deal did not obligate the government to recommend a reduced sentence for Garbin, prosecutors said they would decide their recommendation based on his level of cooperation. 

Garbin's plea agreement also contained the allegation that Fox, one of the accused ringleaders, had said at a meeting in June that 'he wanted to recruit 200 people to storm the (Michigan) Capitol, try any politicians they caught for "treason" and execute them by hanging on live television'.

Ty Garbin (pictured), broke ranks with his co-defendants in January and pleaded guilty to a federal kidnapping conspiracy charge
Brandon Caserta

Ty Garbin (left), broke ranks with his co-defendants in January and pleaded guilty to a federal kidnapping conspiracy charge. Brandon Caserta (left) is also a defendant in the case

Moment home is raided over 'plot to kill Michigan governor'
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Garbin himself, according to the court filing, had later advocated 'waiting until after the national election, when the conspirators expected widespread civil unrest to make it easier for them to operate'.

The men were among armed demonstrators who entered the Michigan Senate gallery on April 30, 2020, following a larger protest outside the Capitol against Whitmer's stay-at-home order.

Following arrests tied to the kidnapping plot, Whitmer said rhetoric from then-President Donald Trump had been a 'rallying cry' for extremists.

She said the Republican president had spent months during the coronavirus pandemic 'denying science, ignoring his own health experts, stoking distrust, fomenting anger and giving comfort to those who spread fear and hatred and division.'

At the time, Trump claimed Whitmer had done a 'terrible job' and should lift restrictions aimed at slowing the virus' spread. 

Last month, Jackson County District Court Judge Michael Klaeren threw out charges for communicating a threat of terrorism against Paul Bellar, 21, Pete Musico, 42, and his son-in-law Joe Morrison, 26.

The three men are also accused of aiding six others who are charged in federal court with conspiring to kidnap Whitmer.

Klaeren said there was enough evidence for Bellar, Morrison and Musico - all of whom live in Michigan - to stand trial on charges of providing material support for terrorist acts, gang membership and using a firearm during a felony.  

However, the judge ruled there wasn't enough probable cause in the case against Musico and Morrison to send charges forward for communicating a threat of terrorism. 

Providing material support for terrorist acts and gang membership charges each are 20-year felonies while felony firearm charges carry two-year maximum prison sentences. 

According to a court affidavit, Musico and Morrison are founding members of the Wolverine Watchmen, which authorities described as 'an anti-government, anti-law enforcement militia group.' 

Three men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are hit with additional charges of conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction to blow up a bridge Three men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are hit with additional charges of conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction to blow up a bridge Reviewed by CUZZ BLUE on April 29, 2021 Rating: 5

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