FBI Names Sixth Suspect in Alleged Drone-and-Sniper Plot Targeting UFC Freedom 250 in Washington
WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors unsealed a criminal complaint in the Western District of Missouri on Monday, publicly identifying Jordan W. Rincker as the sixth defendant in an alleged multi-stage conspiracy to attack the UFC…
HONG KONG— June 22, 2026
WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors unsealed a criminal complaint in the Western District of Missouri on Monday, publicly identifying Jordan W. Rincker as the sixth defendant in an alleged multi-stage conspiracy to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington, D.C. The alleged scheme involved explosive-laden drones, a prestaged sniper team and a planned assault on the White House gate. Five suspects had been charged in mid-June.
The Alleged Attack Plan
The conspiracy, as described by the FBI, was designed in layered waves. Drones carrying explosives would strike buildings near the event venue, triggering a mass evacuation and directing crowds toward a waiting sniper team. A second wave was then allegedly planned to storm the White House gate. Court records indicate members of the network acquired firearms, ammunition, ballistic gear and tactical equipment in the lead-up to the planned attack.
Tycen Proper, a 19-year-old Ohio defendant, allegedly procured boxes of ammunition, plate carriers, rifles and tactical clothing. Co-defendant Daniel Eskridge allegedly obtained multiple firearms, a helmet and a ballistic vest, and in May allegedly shared a photograph of that equipment with co-conspirators via the encrypted messaging platform SimpleX.
Rincker's Alleged Logistical Role
The unsealed complaint places Rincker in a support function within the network. He allegedly accepted a $1,200 cash payment from co-defendant Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, sent $100 to Bryan Omar Roa to help finance Roa's drive from California to Washington, and transferred a pump-action shotgun to Alvarez at an in-person meeting. Roa allegedly departed California on June 11 and was heading to the capital to participate in the attack.
How the Network Unravelled
The alleged conspiracy took shape around March, when participants connected through a TikTok community called "Vanguard of the Old," which circulated workout videos and tactical content before members migrated to encrypted Signal chats. The investigation broke open after Proper's mother contacted the FBI. Seizure of Proper's phone revealed a primary Signal chat with approximately 19 alleged participants, alongside smaller operational groups organized by role and location — suggesting, per court records, that the network extended beyond the five men initially charged. The complaint describes the conspiracy as operating from approximately March through June 21.
Inter-Agency Friction Over Disclosure
The public disclosure of the case was reportedly contested between federal agencies. Two senior U.S. officials told Fox News that Secret Service leadership sought to delay going public, citing concerns that early disclosure could alert additional subjects and hamper further arrests. The FBI moved forward regardless. The investigation is described as continuing.
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