Jurors returned a mixed verdict Friday in the federal trial of nine people accused of carrying out an “ambush attack” on an ICE detention center in North Texas in 2025.
Nine defendants accused of being part of an “Antifa cell” in North Texas were convicted by a federal jury in Fort Worth for their roles in the July 4, 2025 attack on the Prairieland ICE Detention Center, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said.
Jurors handed down the verdict Friday around 2:30 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Fort Worth, after about a day and a half of deliberations. FOX 4 News reported.
“Today’s guilty verdicts demonstrate this FBI’s 24/7 commitment to identifying, locating and dismantling ANTIFA members and their networks,” Kash Patel told Fox News Digital.
“I want to thank our Dallas field office and our great partners for delivering justice. If you attack federal law enforcement, this FBI will use every tool at our disposal to hunt you down.”
During the 12-day trial, which began on February 23, 2026, jurors heard testimony from more than 45 witnesses and reviewed more than 210 pieces of evidence related to the charges against the nine defendants, the DOJ said.
Benjamin Song was convicted of the most serious charge – attempted murder – for the shooting of Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross, according to FOX 4.
All but one of the nine suspects – Daniel Estrada – were found guilty of providing material support to terrorists, rioting, conspiracy to use and carry explosives, and using explosives during a riot, FOX 4 reported.
Daniel Estrada, who was not present the night of the incident, was convicted of concealing documents and conspiring to conceal documents, according to FOX 4.
Maricela Rueda was also convicted of conspiracy to conceal documents.
“Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization that has been allowed to flourish in Democratic-led cities – not under President Trump,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement.
“Today’s verdict on the terrorism charges will not be the last as the Trump administration systematically dismantles Antifa and finally puts an end to their violence on America’s streets.”
Authorities say the July 4, 2025 attack outside the Prairieland ICE detention facility in Alvarado involved fireworks, damage to buildings and vehicles and gunfire directed at officers.
Prosecutors argued that the attack was orchestrated by Song and carried out by members of an Antifa cell in North Texas, FOX 4 reported.
Defense attorneys argued there was no ambush and said the defendants did not intend violence to occur.
“The calculated, violent attack on ICE’s Prairieland facility was an abhorrent way for antifa terrorists to ‘protest’ this agency’s way of enforcing the law – but these statements make clear that those who choose violence over lawful speech will face the full force of the American justice system,” ICE Director Todd Lyons said in a statement.
