Antifa Terror Plot Yields 450-Year Hammer

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A group of Antifa members who shot a police officer in the neck and attacked a federal immigration detention center in Texas just received a staggering 450 years in combined federal prison sentences — and the ringleader alone got 100 years.

Story Highlights

Benjamin Song, the group’s leader, was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 100 years in federal prison for shooting a police lieutenant in the neck.
Eight defendants received a combined 450 years in prison after being convicted of rioting, terrorism support, and conspiracy charges tied to the July 4 attack on the Prairieland Detention Center in North Texas.
All nine trial defendants were convicted of providing material support to terrorists — a serious federal charge that reflects the coordinated nature of the attack.
Seven additional defendants pleaded guilty before trial, bringing the total number of convicted participants to 16.

Officer Shot, Detention Center Attacked on July 4

A group of Antifa members armed with guns, body armor, and fireworks launched an attack on the Prairieland Detention Center, a federal immigration facility in North Texas, on July 4. Alvarado Police Lieutenant Thomas Gross was shot in the neck during the assault. Video shown at trial revealed the group arrived dressed in black bloc — the all-black clothing used to hide identity — and came prepared with medical supplies and weapons.

Federal prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas charged the group with rioting with intent to commit violence, providing material support to terrorists, and conspiracy to use explosives. The “explosives” in question were fireworks, which the jury accepted as meeting the legal threshold for the charge. The jury convicted all nine defendants who went to trial on the terrorism support and conspiracy counts.^[3]

Ringleader Gets 100 Years, Group Totals 450

Benjamin Song, identified as the ringleader, was convicted of attempted murder and three counts of discharging a firearm during the attack. He was sentenced to 100 years in federal prison.^[8] The remaining seven defendants who were sentenced alongside him received sentences that together pushed the group’s total to 450 years behind bars. Seven other defendants had already pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists before the trial even began.^[3]

The verdict was not a clean sweep for prosecutors. The jury convicted only Song on attempted murder charges. The other eight trial defendants were acquitted on that specific count, as well as on charges of discharging a firearm. One defendant, Daniel Estrada, was convicted only of concealing documents — not any violent crime. Still, every trial defendant was found guilty on the terrorism-related charges, which drove the heavy sentences.^[1]^[2]

Justice Served — and a Clear Warning Sent

This case sends a message that attacking federal law enforcement officers and immigration facilities has real consequences. These were not peaceful protesters. They showed up with guns, body armor, and explosives to a federal facility. A police officer was shot in the neck. The federal government treated it as terrorism — and a jury of ordinary Americans agreed on the most critical charges.^[5]

Former Marine gets 100 years in prison as judge calls ICE detention center ambush 'an assault on democracy' | Alexandra Koch, Fox News

Eight protesters accused by the Justice Department of having ties to the far-left network Antifa were sentenced to decades in federal prison on… pic.twitter.com/uwVXl6r9kA

— Owen Gregorian (@OwenGregorian) June 24, 2026

Defense attorneys called the sentences excessive and claimed political motivation drove the prosecution. Some critics pointed to President Trump’s earlier order directing federal agencies to treat Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, arguing the terrorism label was politically applied. But those arguments did not sway the jury. The convictions stand on evidence — video footage, weapons, body armor, and a police officer with a bullet wound in his neck. When a group shows up armed to a federal facility and opens fire, the label “terrorist” fits the facts.^[3]^[9]