A 19-year-old Danville man is among eight men federally indicted for allegedly conspiring to carry out a terrorist attack targeting the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House and assassinate government officials. Announcing the indictment, U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II emphasized that investigators believe the defendants took concrete steps to carry out the alleged plot.
Tycen J. Proper of Danville, also known as Prox, was named in a federal indictment unsealed July 9 in Columbus, charging him and seven co-defendants from Nebraska, Missouri, California, Washington, and West Virginia with conspiracy to commit murder on federal government property. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the alleged plot centered on the June 14 UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House, where thousands of attendees, including high-ranking government officials, were expected to gather.
Federal prosecutors allege the conspiracy began in May 2026 as the defendants used encrypted messaging and social media platforms, including Signal, SimpleX, Discord, TikTok and Instagram, to recruit participants, coordinate logistics and prepare for the attack. The indictment alleges the group sought to organize members into different roles, acquire weapons and tactical equipment, and conduct firearms and combat training before carrying out the planned assault. Authorities allege the defendants discussed their plans extensively online and assembled firearms, explosives, drones, body armor, communications equipment, and medical supplies in preparation for the attack.
"These men were not simply airing grievances from behind their keyboards and sharing like minded political ideologies," Gerace said. "Rather, they took action to carry out a plot to attack the UFC freedom 250 event and to murder federal officials at the highest levels of our government."
According to prosecutors, the alleged targets included the President of the United States, the Vice President, other federal officials, the Prime Minister of Israel, entrepreneur Elon Musk, and other individuals described in court documents as "high value targets." Investigators allege the defendants intended to carry out the attack during the high-profile UFC event on White House grounds.
If convicted, Proper and the other defendants face up to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and up to life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder.
