Sixth Suspect Named in Alleged Plot to Strike UFC Freedom 250 Event and White House
Federal prosecutors on Monday publicly identified a sixth defendant in the alleged conspiracy to turn a Washington, D.C., UFC event into a mass-casualty attack, unsealing a criminal complaint in the Western District of Missouri that names Jordan W. Rincker as an alleged participant. The filing brings to six the total number of publicly identified defendants in the case, following five arrests made in mid-June. The FBI alleges the network planned to use explosive-laden drones, a prestaged sniper team and a secondary assault on the White House gate during the UFC Freedom 250 event.
Federal prosecutors on Monday publicly identified a sixth defendant in the alleged conspiracy to turn a Washington, D.C., UFC event into a mass-casualty attack, unsealing a criminal complaint in the Western District of Missouri that names Jordan W. Rincker as an alleged participant. The filing brings to six the total number of publicly identified defendants in the case, following five arrests made in mid-June. The FBI alleges the network planned to use explosive-laden drones, a prestaged sniper team and a secondary assault on the White House gate during the UFC Freedom 250 event.
The Alleged Attack Plan
According to FBI officials, the plotters intended to detonate drone-carried explosives near buildings close to the event venue, triggering a mass evacuation and funneling crowds toward a waiting sniper team. A "second wave" was then allegedly designed to breach the White House gate. Investigators say the conspiracy ran from approximately March through June 21, with members acquiring firearms, ammunition, plate carriers, rifles, tactical clothing, helmets and ballistic vests in preparation.
Court records allege defendant Tycen Proper, a 19-year-old from Ohio, obtained several boxes of ammunition, plate carriers and rifles. Co-defendant Daniel Eskridge allegedly procured multiple firearms, a helmet and a ballistic vest, and in May allegedly shared a photograph of that gear with co-conspirators on the encrypted platform SimpleX.
Rincker's Alleged Role in the Network
Prosecutors allege Rincker served a logistical function within the conspiracy. He allegedly accepted a $1,200 cash payment from co-defendant Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, transferred a pump-action shotgun to Alvarez during an in-person meeting and sent co-defendant Bryan Omar Roa $100 to help fund Roa's drive from California to Washington. Roa allegedly began that drive on June 11, according to the complaint.
The plotters first connected around March through a TikTok community called "Vanguard of the Old," where members shared workout videos and tactical content before migrating to encrypted Signal chats, prosecutors said.
How Investigators Unraveled the Conspiracy
The alleged plot was disrupted after the mother of Tycen Proper called the FBI with a tip. The subsequent seizure of Proper's phone allowed investigators to map the broader network. That device contained a primary Signal group chat with approximately 19 alleged participants, along with smaller operational chats organized by role and location, according to court records.
Interagency Dispute Over Public Disclosure
The decision to go public with the investigation drew friction within the federal government. Two senior U.S. officials told Fox News that Secret Service leadership pushed to delay any public announcement, arguing that disclosure could alert other subjects and complicate further arrests. The case was nonetheless made public, and the investigation is ongoing.