Federal authorities arrested a West Virginia man this week in connection with an alleged domestic terrorism plot that targeted government officials during a mixed martial arts event held on the White House lawn in June.
Chandler D. Scaggs, 21, of Chapmanville, was taken into custody in West Virginia by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release Thursday. Scaggs is the latest of eight people now facing federal charges in the investigation.
What authorities say
Prosecutors say the alleged scheme centered on the Ultimate Fighting Championship event dubbed "UFC Freedom 250," which took place on the South Lawn of the White House in mid-June. According to the DOJ release, suspects believed certain government leaders would attend and identified specific targets.
| Details | From the DOJ release |
|---|---|
| Number charged | Eight |
| Latest arrest | Chandler D. Scaggs, 21 (Chapmanville, W.Va.) |
| Notable earlier defendant | Tycen Proper, 19 (Danville, Ohio) |
Court documents cited by prosecutors say Proper’s family alerted authorities after he spent roughly $3,000 in graduation funds on firearms, ammunition and body armor and expressed thoughts about shooting someone. The filings allege Proper recruited others, and that Scaggs was assigned to serve as one of the suspected snipers.
Alleged targets included national and West Virginia officials
The DOJ release identified prominent national figures the suspects believed might attend the event. It also listed several West Virginia elected officials who were named as potential targets in the investigation.
- National figures named by prosecutors included the president, the vice president and other high-profile leaders.
- West Virginia elected officials cited as potential targets included U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice, and U.S. Reps. Carol Miller and Riley Moore, plus Del. Tristan Leavitt.
Prosecutors said Scaggs was allegedly to be transported to Washington, D.C., by one of the other accused, but that he lost contact with that person after an earlier arrest. The DOJ filing asserts the accused remained willing to participate despite the disruption.
Local and federal roles in the investigation
The FBI led the arrest in West Virginia, and the Department of Justice is handling the federal prosecution, according to the release. Authorities have not publicly released charging documents for all defendants as of the announcement.
Residents who recognize a name or have information relevant to the case were not given a specific contact in the release. The DOJ frequently encourages tips to local FBI field offices or through its public-affairs channels.
The case is unfolding in federal court. Additional details, including formal charges and any future court dates for Scaggs, are expected to be made public by prosecutors as the matter proceeds.
This report is based on a U.S. Department of Justice press release and court filings made public by federal authorities.
