Former Marine gets 100 years in prison as judge calls ICE detention center ambush 'an assault on democracy'

Eight protesters accused by the Justice Department of having ties to the far-left web Antifa were sentenced to decades successful national situation connected Tuesday for their roles successful a convulsive July 4, 2025, ambush extracurricular a North Texas migration detention center.

Benjamin Song, a erstwhile U.S. Marine Corps reservist who was antecedently convicted of attempted execution for shooting Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross, received the maximum condemnation of 100 years down bars, according to a study from The Associated Press.

Seven different defendants received situation presumption ranging from 30 to 70 years, including Autumn Hill and Savanna Batten, who were each sentenced to 50 years, according to the report.

During the sentencing, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor described the incidental not arsenic a protest, but arsenic "an battle connected democracy."

Supporters of protesters convicted implicit a shooting extracurricular a Texas migration detention halfway show signs successful enactment of the defendants extracurricular a national courthouse successful Fort Worth, Texas connected Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Kendria LaFleur)

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Prosecutor Frank Gatto urged the justice to enforce stiff penalties, saying the defendants clasp extremist beliefs and "believe unit is justified."

The lengthy sentences travel a national assemblage proceedings successful Fort Worth wherever the defendants, described by the DOJ arsenic members of a North Texas Antifa cell, were convicted of providing worldly enactment to terrorists, rioting and conspiring to usage and transportation explosives, Fox News Digital antecedently reported.

Authorities said the ambush astatine the Prairieland ICE detention halfway progressive fireworks, gunfire directed astatine officers, and harm to vehicles and buildings.

FILE - Law enforcement officers stitchery extracurricular the Prairieland Detention Center successful Alvarado, Texas, aft an ambush connected July 4, 2025. Authorities said a radical created a distraction with fireworks and graffiti earlier opening occurrence connected corrections and constabulary officers extracurricular the facility. (Mark David Smith/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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Despite the convictions, the defendants and their families person denied immoderate affiliation with Antifa, maintaining that they were demonstrating successful enactment of detained immigrants, The AP reported.

Song’s attorney, Phillip Hayes, argued his lawsuit lone provided "suppressive fire" and that the constabulary serviceman was struck by a ricocheted slug aft "aggressively" drafting his gun. 

FILE - Numerous suspects successful the ambush onslaught connected the Prairieland Detention Center successful Texas basal successful beforehand of a photograph from the transgression scene. (Johnson County Sheriff’s Office)

"Song, speech from this day, has had an impeccable life. A erstwhile Marine. A bully student," Hayes said, noting Song’s intent to appeal. "He had a batch of bully qualities that were conscionable ignored. The justice went up and gave arsenic overmuch arsenic helium could."

The lawsuit and consequent convictions person been a absorption for the Trump administration, which has prioritized cracking down connected far-left militant groups. President Donald Trump precocious signed an enforcement bid designating Antifa arsenic a home violent organization.

Supporters of protesters convicted implicit a shooting extracurricular a Texas migration detention halfway show signs successful enactment of the defendants extracurricular a national courthouse successful Fort Worth, Texas connected Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Kendria LaFleur)

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Following the archetypal blameworthy verdicts, Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the medication volition "systematically dismantle Antifa," portion FBI authoritative Kash Patel highlighted the bureau's 24/7 committedness to hunting down and dismantling Antifa networks that onslaught national instrumentality enforcement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.