Federal officials became aware of the various alleged plots to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer early this year.
The suspects are from Metro Detroit as well as the rest of the state. All either considered themselves part of a group called Wolverine Watchmen, or are affiliated with that group.
Federal officials raided a mobile home in Hartland Wednesday belonging to Ty Garbin, who is one of those accused. They also went to a home in Waterford belonging to another man, Caleb Franks.
The Department of Justice is charging six people in the kidnapping plot, and Attorney General Dana Nessel is charging an additional seven with plots to attack the State Capitol, target law enforcement officers and instigate a Civil War.
At least two of the men attended a rally at the capitol and used it as a recruiting tool to find like-minded individuals who believed that Whitmer was violating the U.S. Constitution with her shutdown orders.
Recruiting turned into in-person meetings, some federal officials said taking place in a basement of a vacuum store in Grand Rapids where one of the men, Adam Fox, lived.
The FBI was listening to everything that was being said through two informants. While there were suggestions of going to the State Capitol to take the governor, the men turned their attention to Whitmer’s vacation home in northern Michigan as the place to kidnap her from.
The plan was then to take Whitmer to Wisconsin to stand trial for what the men viewed as treason.
Whitmer is placing blame on President Donald Trump for the group’s actions.