MI - 14 men charged in plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Oct 2020 *8 guilty, 5 NG*

CROFT'S ATTNY: "FBI became aware of Croft while hunting for Texas "militia leader" KC Massey, who later turned up dead in Van Zandt Co, TX. Croft had been communicating with Massey. Says FBI continued to watch Croft, but couldn't find anything to arrest him for."

CROFT'S ATTNY: "One day they learn he’s going to a meeting where Fox will be present, and the FBI knows about investigation going in Michigan... They know if they can get Barry into this group, this might be their chance to arrest him."

CROFT'S ATTNY: FBI agent said to undercover informant Jenny Plunk: "For a guy who acts like he's itching for a fight, he sure does act like a coward... he just needs to be called a pussy. Ask Barry if he's a puss." Says they called Croft a moron, idiot, and Bonehead.

CROFT'S ATTNY: FBI "followed him for a year-and-a-half, seen him accuse the FBI of murdering his friend (Massey), they think he's dangerous, and they don't want to wait anymore." Barry is a guy they "wanted in a cage, no matter what the facts were."

Croft's Attorney plays an audio recording of FBI Special Agent Henrik Impola apparently saying "We have a saying in the office, don't let the facts get in the way of a good story, right... "Tell the FBI that the truth matters." Court is now taking a morning break. "

 
Not to be quoting my own posts....but that last statement made by Croft's attorney is pretty powerful....coming in light of what is going down currently with the FBI and our country.

"Croft's Attorney plays an audio recording of FBI Special Agent Henrik Impola apparently saying "We have a saying in the office, don't let the facts get in the way of a good story, right... "Tell the FBI that the truth matters." Court is now taking a morning break. "


This jury has much to consider
 
Thursday, August 11th:
*Trial continues (Day 2) (Federal case) (@ am CT) - MI – Plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer - *Adam Dean Fox (38/now 39) (born 1983) of Grand Rapids, *Barry Gordon Croft, Jr. (44/now 45) (no birth date given) from Bear, Delaware arrested & charged (10/8/20) & indicted (12/17/20) with conspiracy to commit kidnapping. All charged with a federal crime. All are being held without bond. Both plead not guilty (12/17/20).
*Adam Dean Fox additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers.
*Barry Gordon Croft, Jr. additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail & any responding law enforcement officers & superseding indictment also alleges that on Sept. 13, 2020 in Lake County, Michigan, Croft & Harris knowingly possessed a destructive device that was not registered to them in the National Firearms Registration & Transfer Record as required by federal law.
Trial began on 3/8/22 with jury selection & trial began on 3/9/22. 12 jurors & 6 alternates. 3/17/22: 1 juror missing (out sick), replaced by alternate. 12 Jurors & 5 alternates. The trial was interrupted due to COVID from 3/11 to 3/16/22. 4/4/22: Jury deliberations ~8 hours. 4/5/22: Deliberations: ~8 hours. 4/6/22: Deliberations: ~8 hours. 4/7/22: Deliberations: ~ 8 hours. 4/8/22: Deliberations: ~5 hours. Total deliberations: ~37 hours. Jury found Harris & Caserta not guilty & unable to reach verdict for Fox & Croft.
Re-Trial (for Fox & Croft) began on 8/9/22 with jury selection, trial began on 8/10/22. Jury: 12 jurors & 6 alternates. 8/10/22: Juror out sick replaced with alternate. 12 jurors & 5 alternates.

Criminal Complaint & court info & first trial from 10/9/20 thru 6/30/22 & Re-Trial Day, Jury Selection (Day 1-2) 8/8-8/9/22 reference post #597 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...whitmer-oct-2020-garbin-guilty.546457/page-30

8/10/22 Wednesday, Trial Day 1: Juror #242 has called out sick & an alternate is being moved in. Opening statements began. Assistant US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Chris O'Connor, Chris Gibbons, attorney for Adam Fox, was up next & Barry Croft's attorney, Joshua Blanchard.
For more info see post #599 & 600 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...whitmer-oct-2020-2-guilty-2-ng.546457/page-30
Opening statements by Croft’s attorney Joshua Blanchard continued. Following opening statements, the government began presenting their case by calling FBI Special Agent Todd Reineck, who works out of their Ann Arbor office, to the stand. They played several audio & video recordings in court Wednesday of both Fox & Croft seemingly talking about their disdain for the government. They also played videos that Fox posted to his Facebook page talking about the Boogaloo.
For more info see post #601 & 603 (article) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...whitmer-oct-2020-2-guilty-2-ng.546457/page-31
Trial continues on 8/11/22.

*Daniel Harris (24) – Found not guilty (4/8/22).
*Brandon Caserta (33) – Found not guilty (4/8/22).
*Ty Gerard Garbin (24) - Plead guilty (1/27/21) to kidnapping conspiracy & was sentenced (8/25/21) to 6 years & 3 months in Federal prison. Garbin will testify at the trial of the other defendants. Lengthy testimony & repeated debriefings have been critical in building a case to counter defense arguments that revolve around free speech issues as well as accusations of entrapment by federal undercover informants, Nils R. Kessler, the lead U.S. attorney on the case.
Kaleb James Franks (26) – Plead guilty (2/7/22) to kidnapping conspiracy. Will testify at trial & will be sentencing afterwards.
(State: for Antrim County preliminary hearings on 8/29/22 & Jackson County pretrial hearing on 8/9/22 & trial starts 10/10/22).
 
@Seattle1 - I have your name as to ask about the Jackson County guys.

Judge Thomas Wilson
for Bellar - #2003171FH38
for Morrison - #2002172FY38
for Musico - #2003173FH38

I have trial set to begin on 10/10/22. Last hearing on 8/9/22 pretrial.

TIA! :)
 

According to O'Connor, Croft, a trucker from Delaware, fell on the government's radar in 2017, when he started talking about starting a revolution. By 2020, Croft launched a call to action: He wanted to kick off his revolution by hanging a governor.

Croft would eventually meet Fox and tell him about his plan, O'Connor said. The two set their sights on Whitmer and hatched a plan to kidnap her, with Fox agreeing to recruit members, O'Connor said.

"I’m on board man. I’m going to actively begin recruiting, I can’t wait. … I’m not going to call myself militia. There ain't going to be no participation trophy … we’re going to put together a group to go snatch a motherf-----," Fox tells Croft in an audio message that was played for the jury.

"The defendants will ask you to believe that none of this was their idea, that they were entrapped by the FBI. They want you to believe that the FBI made them do what they did, say what they said. The evidence will show you that’s simply not true," O'Connor said.
 

“This case doesn’t start because of COVID-19,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher O’Connor, one of the prosecutors representing the federal government in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids.

“It starts several years before that, because what you’ll learn is that years before law enforcement started to investigate this plot, defendants believed elected officials were tyrants.”
 

"Two men are charged with conspiring to kidnap Gov Gretchen Whitmer. But a first trial ended with no convictions, and questions about the FBI's tactics."

“I think there was a time when prosecutors assumed that just because an F.B.I. agent said it was true, a jury would believe it. And I think we live in a time when that is no longer the case.”
 

Defense attorneys began cross-examining the government's first witness, FBI Special Agent Todd Reineck Thursday morning.

Reineck said the FBI opened an investigation into Fox, Croft and others who were discussing a violent overthrow of the government on social media in early 2020. Reineck testified he provided FBI confidential informants with recording devices.

FBI Special Agent Mark Schweers, who infiltrated the Wolverine Watchmen by pretending to be a man named Mark from the U.P., is expected to testify Thursday.
 
Friday, August 12th:
*Trial continues (Day 3) (Federal case) (@ am CT) - MI – Plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer - *Adam Dean Fox (38/now 39) (born 1983) of Grand Rapids, *Barry Gordon Croft, Jr. (44/now 45) (no birth date given) from Bear, Delaware arrested & charged (10/8/20) & indicted (12/17/20) with conspiracy to commit kidnapping. All charged with a federal crime. All are being held without bond. Both plead not guilty (12/17/20).
*Adam Dean Fox additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers.
*Barry Gordon Croft, Jr. additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail & any responding law enforcement officers & superseding indictment also alleges that on Sept. 13, 2020 in Lake County, Michigan, Croft & Harris knowingly possessed a destructive device that was not registered to them in the National Firearms Registration & Transfer Record as required by federal law.
Re-Trial (for Fox & Croft) began on 8/9/22 with jury selection, trial began on 8/10/22. Jury: 12 jurors & 6 alternates. 8/10/22: Juror out sick replaced with alternate. 12 jurors & 5 alternates.
Criminal Complaint & court info & first trial from 10/9/20 thru 6/30/22 & Re-Trial Day, Jury Selection (Day 1-2) 8/8-8/9/22 & Trial (Day 1) 8/10/22 reference post #604 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...whitmer-oct-2020-garbin-guilty.546457/page-31

8/11/22 Thursday, Trial Day 2: State witnesses: FBI Special Agent Todd Reineck, who works out of their Ann Arbor office returns to the stand for cross examination.
A federal court jury on Thursday, Aug. 11, heard Barry Croft Jr., in secret recordings, suggest killing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s security detail and setting off explosives to create a chaotic scene and kidnap the governor.
for more info see post #609, 610 & 611 (articles) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...whitmer-oct-2020-2-guilty-2-ng.546457/page-31
Trial continues on 8/12/22.

*Daniel Harris (24) – Found not guilty (4/8/22).
*Brandon Caserta (33) – Found not guilty (4/8/22).
*Ty Gerard Garbin (24) - Plead guilty (1/27/21) to kidnapping conspiracy & was sentenced (8/25/21) to 6 years & 3 months in Federal prison. Garbin will testify at the trial of the other defendants. Lengthy testimony & repeated debriefings have been critical in building a case to counter defense arguments that revolve around free speech issues as well as accusations of entrapment by federal undercover informants, Nils R. Kessler, the lead U.S. attorney on the case.
*Kaleb James Franks (26) – Plead guilty (2/7/22) to kidnapping conspiracy. Will testify at trial & will be sentencing afterwards.
(State: for Antrim County preliminary hearings on 8/29/22 & Jackson County pretrial hearing on 8/9/22 & trial starts 10/10/22).
 
@Seattle1 - hate to bug you - but...
@Seattle1 - I have your name as to ask about the Jackson County guys.

Judge Thomas Wilson
for Bellar - #2003171FH38
for Morrison - #2002172FY38
for Musico - #2003173FH38

I have trial set to begin on 10/10/22. Last hearing on 8/9/22 pretrial.

TIA! :)

Have you been able to find anything on this case? TIA! :)
 
I am listening to the trial this am, as per this statement in this article, posted above. Court is on a morning break, to return at 10:45 Eastern

"The public may listen to the trial by phone beginning at 8:30 a.m. by calling 877-402-9753 and using the access code 8731455, followed by the # symbol."

 
During cross exam of the FBI agent on the stand previous to break, it was stated that the FBI's female informant had slept with the accused in a motel, same bed. Nothing to see here.....
 
I am listening to the trial this am, as per this statement in this article, posted above. Court is on a morning break, to return at 10:45 Eastern

"The public may listen to the trial by phone beginning at 8:30 a.m. by calling 877-402-9753 and using the access code 8731455, followed by the # symbol."


800 #s from here would cost me an arm & a leg... I just read your posts! :D
 
I am listening to the trial this am, as per this statement in this article, posted above. Court is on a morning break, to return at 10:45 Eastern

"The public may listen to the trial by phone beginning at 8:30 a.m. by calling 877-402-9753 and using the access code 8731455, followed by the # symbol."


unfortunately that link gives me "Forbidden"....
 
It is rather tedious, listening to a trial by phone. The content they covered so far IMO, is the same as the last trial. The FBI was 'all up in their business' pushing this to where it ended.

Discussed today, was some of the 'plans"....including the groups desire to get two helicopters, to aid in their adventure. !!!!!!!!!
These guys were seriously gonna kidnap a governor?
And, somehow... they were planning on a boat escape, and method of stranding GW in Lake Michigan....without a boat??

But, yeah.....sleep with the guys, feed em weed and booze....and keep them talking.

Court is finished today. The judge seems overly anxious about the attornies wasting time. He's on a mission to get through this. He's heard it all before.
 

Undercover FBI agent testifies on day 4 of Governor Whitmer kidnap plot trial​


On day 4 of the second trial for Adam Fox and Barry Croft, the court heard from multiple FBI agents about the undercover sources they used in their investigation

 
Thanks for that article. I am confused though - I have Day 3 for Friday.
Wednesday - 8/10 - day 1 was opening statements & first witness Reineck.
Thursday - 8/11 - day 2 - Agent Reineck back on stand
Friday - 8/12 - day 3... Agents Long & Schweers

Where did I go wrong??
 

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