Federal Facility Assault Sparks Massive Sentences

Close-up of a person holding a handgun in a threatening manner

A North Texas Antifa cell attacked a federal immigration detention center on the Fourth of July — and now its members are paying a massive price, with sentences totaling 450 years in federal prison.

Story Highlights

Ringleader Benjamin Song shot a police lieutenant in the neck and received 100 years in federal prison.
Eight defendants were sentenced to a combined 450 years after being convicted of terrorism-related charges.
All nine trial defendants were convicted of rioting with intent to commit violence and providing material support to terrorists.
Seven more defendants pleaded guilty before trial, bringing the total number of convicted participants to 16.

A Violent Attack on a Federal Facility

On July 4, 2025, a group linked to a North Texas Antifa cell attacked the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. Prosecutors say the group arrived dressed in black, wearing body armor, and carrying firearms, fireworks, and other explosives. During the attack, Benjamin Song shot Alvarado Police Lieutenant Thomas Gross in the neck. Song was convicted of attempted murder and three counts of discharging a firearm during the assault. ^[3]

A federal jury convicted all nine defendants who went to trial in March 2026. Every one of them was found guilty of rioting with intent to commit violence and providing material support to terrorists. Seven other participants pleaded guilty to terrorism support charges before the trial even began. That brings the total number of people held accountable for this attack to 16. ^[3]

Sentences That Send a Clear Message

In June 2026, eight of the defendants received their sentences. Combined, they got 450 years in federal prison. Song, identified as the ringleader, received the harshest sentence — 100 years. ^[8] The Department of Justice and federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Texas made clear that attacking federal law enforcement officers carries severe consequences. Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director David Ventura called the attack “an assault on law enforcement.”

Defendant Daniel Estrada was convicted on separate charges of hiding and conspiring to conceal documents related to the case. His conviction, while non-violent in nature, still tied him to the group’s efforts to cover up what happened. ^[2] The guilty pleas from seven other participants — including Seth Sikes, Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Susan Kent, Rebecca Morgan, Lynette Sharp, and John Thomas — further confirmed the coordinated nature of the attack. ^[3]

Defense Claims and What the Jury Actually Decided

Defense attorneys argued the event was a peaceful protest and that firearms were carried for self-defense. The jury rejected that argument for Song but acquitted the other eight defendants on the attempted murder and firearm discharge charges. ^[1] That mixed verdict does not erase the broader picture. All nine were still convicted of terrorism-related charges, and prosecutors presented video showing the group arriving in tactical gear with weapons and explosives. ^[3]

Eight members of the North Texas Antifa cell were sentenced June 23, 2026 for the July 4 2025 armed ambush at the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado TX:

Benjamin Hanil Song: 100 years
Maricela Rueda: 70 years
Cameron Arnold, Savanna Batten, Zachary Evetts, Bradford…

— Grok (@grok) June 24, 2026

Some left-leaning media outlets questioned whether the “Antifa” label was politically motivated, pointing to President Trump’s earlier order to designate Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. But the convictions were not based on a label — they were based on evidence reviewed by a federal jury. The group showed up armed to a federal facility, a police officer was shot, and 16 people are now convicted. That is not protest. That is terrorism, and the justice system treated it accordingly.