A group of Texas protesters convicted on terrorism-related charges have been sentenced to decades in prison after a Fourth of July protest outside an immigrant detention facility turned violent.
The case stems from a late-night demonstration at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, south of Fort Worth. Prosecutors said the group arrived with fireworks as part of a noise protest meant to show support for people held inside the facility. The demonstration escalated after some participants allegedly vandalized vehicles, damaged a guard shack, slashed the tires of a government van and broke a security camera.
The most serious violence occurred when a police officer arrived at the scene and one activist, Benjamin Song, fired an AR-15 from a wooded area, striking the officer in the shoulder. The officer survived.
Song was sentenced to 100 years in prison after being convicted of attempted murder of a federal officer, firearms and explosives charges, riot and providing material support to terrorists. Several other defendants received sentences of at least 50 years.
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Zachary Evetts, Autumn Hill, Savanna Batten, Elizabeth Soto and Meagan Morris were each sentenced to 50 years in prison. Maricela Rueda was sentenced to 70 years. Those defendants were convicted of charges including riot, providing material support to terrorists and explosives-related offenses. Rueda was also convicted of corruptly concealing a document or record.
Another defendant, Daniel Sanchez-Estrada, who prosecutors said was not at the protest, was sentenced to 30 years after being convicted of corruptly concealing a document or record.
The sentences have drawn intense debate because several defendants were acquitted of attempted murder and firearms charges but still received unusually long prison terms. Critics argue that the punishment appears far harsher than sentences in other politically charged cases involving violence. Supporters of the prosecution say the case shows the government will respond aggressively when protesters attack law enforcement or federal facilities.
A former federal prosecutor said the sentences appeared unusually severe, noting that judges often allow sentences for separate counts to run at the same time rather than one after another. In this case, the court appears to have stacked several sentences consecutively, resulting in prison terms of 50 years or more.
The Trump administration praised the sentences, describing the defendants as extremists and saying the Justice Department would continue prosecuting those who threaten law enforcement or undermine the rule of law.
Attorneys and relatives of some defendants strongly disputed the government’s framing. They argued that several people swept up in the case were loosely affiliated activists, not members of an organized terrorist group. Some defendants said the protest was intended as a political demonstration, not a planned attack.
Song, who admitted firing at the officer, said in court that he believed the officer was about to shoot a protester because the officer had drawn his weapon. He described the prosecutions as collective punishment and said people were being punished for knowing him or being connected to him.
Lawyers for some defendants said they plan to appeal. Evetts’ attorney described him as a peaceful person with no history of violence and said he expects the conviction or sentence to be challenged.
The case has also raised broader concerns among civil liberties observers. Prosecutors portrayed the defendants as part of a “North Texas antifa cell,” while critics argue that antifa is not a formal organization but a loose label used to describe anti-fascist views and activism. During the trial, prosecutors pointed to group messages, black clothing, encrypted communications, firearms and left-wing reading materials as evidence of coordination and ideology.
The government also emphasized that some defendants discussed bringing firearms and used Signal, an encrypted messaging app. Critics countered that encrypted messaging is commonly used by activists, journalists and ordinary citizens, and that political literature should not be treated as evidence of terrorism by itself.
The ruling comes as the administration pursues other prosecutions connected to protests against immigration enforcement. Similar cases have been brought against activists in several cities, though not all have succeeded.
Why It Matters
The Texas case could become a major test of how far federal prosecutors can go in treating protest-related violence as terrorism. The officer’s shooting made the case extremely serious, but the length of the sentences and the use of material support charges are likely to fuel debate over proportionality, political speech and the Trump administration’s crackdown on dissent.
What Comes Next
Defense attorneys are expected to appeal the convictions and sentences. The case may also continue to draw attention from civil liberties groups, immigration advocates and law enforcement supporters as similar protest-related prosecutions move through federal courts.
A local report showed several defendants convicted in the Prairieland detention center case receiving decades-long prison sentences.
🚨 JUST IN: A group of Antifa terrorists were just SENTENCED to HUNDREDS OF YEARS in prison after a violent attack on the ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas
FAFO, LOCK THEM UP! I voted for the law and order! 🔥
The group’s RINGLEADER, Benjamin Song, got 100 years.
The others got… pic.twitter.com/qzNQTbbDdq
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 23, 2026
