In a first, nine Texas Antifa members found guilty on federal terror charges

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
The Center Square

In a historical first, nine people have been convicted by a federal jury on domestic terrorism charges connected to Antifa.

The group was accused of being a part of the North Texas Antifa Cell, and was found guilty of rioting, using weapons and explosives, providing material support to terrorists, obstruction, and attempted murder, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announced Friday evening.

The group was convicted of the attempted murder of an Alvarado, Texas, police officer and correctional officers at the Prairieland ICE Detention Center occurring on July 4, 2025.

The convictions came after a 12-day trial beginning Feb. 23, which included 45 witnesses and more than 210 exhibits.

The first conviction of its kind comes six months after The Center Square asked President Donald Trump if he would designate Antifa a domestic terror organization following the rise of left-wing political violence. In response, the president officially designated the group a terror organization a week later.

Several Antifa cells in Europe have since been designated foreign terror organizations.

The ICE Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado was attacked in an ambush shooting on July 4, resulting in one officer being shot and injured.

Homeland Security noted at the time of the indictment that “nearly a dozen violent assailants equipped with tactical gear and weapons” attacked the facility, which occurred days before another attack where a Border Patrol official in McAllen, Texas, was also shot and injured.

The indicted defendants include: Cameron Arnold, also known as Autunm Hill; Zachary Evetts; Benjamin Song; Savanna Batten; Bradford Morris, aka Meagan Morris; Maricela Rueda; Elizabeth Soto; Ines Soto; and Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada.

An additional seven were charged, while pleading guilty last year to one count of providing material support to terrorists. The group includes: Seth Sikes, Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Susan Kent, Rebecca Morgan, Lynette Sharp and John Thomas.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the convictions are just the beginning as the Trump administration continues to pursue accused Antifa members.

“Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization that has been allowed to flourish in Democrat-led cities — not under President Trump,” said Bondi. “Today’s verdict on terrorism charges will not be the last as the Trump administration systematically dismantles Antifa and finally halts their violence on America’s streets.”

FBI Director Kash Patel, who initially announced the indictment in October, underscored the bureau’s commitment to tracking down Antifa cells.

“Today’s verdict shows the FBI remains committed to identifying, locating, and dismantling Antifa and its funding networks across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Acts of violence against our law enforcement partners will not be tolerated, and we continue our work to protect communities across the country from domestic terrorism.”

Many of the convicted individuals face steep sentencing.

“Song faces a minimum penalty of 20 years and a maximum of life imprisonment. Arnold, Evetts, Morris, Rueda, Batten, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto each face a sentence ranging from a minimum of ten years up to sixty years in federal prison. Sanchez Estrada faces up to 40 years in federal prison,” according to the U.S. attorney’s office. “The sole count of providing material support to terrorists to which Baumann, Gibson, Kent, Morgan, Sharp, Thomas, and Sikes pled guilty, mirrors the material support offense in the charges presented to the jury at trial. Each of these defendants face a sentence of up to fifteen years in federal prison.”