New federal charges added in Whitmer kidnapping plot investigation

Officials said a federal grand jury in Michigan returned a superseding indictment Wednesday adding new charges in the conspiracy to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Court documents state that Adam Fox, 40, of Wyoming, Michigan, Barry Croft Jr., 45, of Bear, Delaware, and Daniel Joseph Harris, 23, of Lake Orion, Michigan are charged with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charge in October 2020.

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Croft, Harris and Fox face up to life in prison if convicted of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction. The new charges come from an ongoing investigation by the FBI, assisted by the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, including the Michigan State Police.

The indictment alleges that all three men intended use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, harming Whitmer’s security detail and any responding officers. Additionally, the indictment alleges that on Sept, 13, 2020, Croft and Harris knowingly possessed a destructive device not registered to them in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law.

Harris allegedly was in possession of an Anderson Manufacturing Model AM-15, .223/5.56 mm caliber semiautomatic assault rifle with a barrel of less than 16 inches not registered to him between July 10, 2020 and Sept. 13, 2020.

All three men, along with Kaleb Franks and Brandon Caserta, each face up to life in prison if convicted of the kidnapping conspiracy. Croft and Harris each face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of possession of unregistered destructive device. Additionally, Harris could face up to 10 years if convicted of possession of an unregistered short barrel rifle.

Fourteen men have charged in the investigation. One of the men, Ty Garbin, entered a guilty plea to a charge of conspiracy to kidnap Whitmer.

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