The ninth person convicted in federal court in March for the nonfatal shooting of a police officer outside a North Texas ICE facility was sentenced to 50 years in prison Wednesday.
Six others who pleaded guilty in connection with the shooting received sentences ranging from two to nine years in prison.
U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor handed down the prison sentence for Ines Soto, 42, who was arrested near the Prairieland Detention Center the night of July 4 along with his wife Elizabeth Soto and eight others.
Soto and about a dozen others gathered outside the ICE facility, chanted and shot off fireworks in a display they said was meant to support those detained inside. At least two people damaged cars and spray-painted structures within the property.
Shooter Benjamin Song fired at Alvarado Police Lieutenant Thomas Gross, hitting the officer in the shoulder soon after he arrived at the detention center. Gross was released from the hospital within the next 24 hours. Song's attorney and supporters contend Song fired at the ground as suppressive fire once he saw Gross draw his weapon.
Soto was involved in Signal group chats planning the noise demonstration outside Prairieland in the days leading up to July 4, according to copies of the messages shown during trial. Prosecutors also showed evidence alleging the Sotos operated a printing press from their Fort Worth home.
Along with codefendant Savanna Batten, the trio ran the Emma Goldman Book Club, where members shared anarchist and socialist literature in the form of zines or homemade booklets. The Sotos were also accused of operating an account on X for "DFW Antifa."
A jury convicted each of the Sotos of rioting, providing material support to terrorism, conspiracy to use and carry explosives, and the use and carry of explosives — in this case, fireworks.
The latest sentences come the week after eight trial defendants were sentenced to prison in connection with the shooting. Song was sentenced to 100 years in prison, while others' sentences ranged from 30 to 70 years.
Judge Mark Pittman, who presided over trial, sentenced Lynette Sharp, Seth Sikes, Nathan Baumann and John Thomas. Sharp and Thomas were sentenced to 110 months in prison, Sikes 72 months and Baumann 22 months. All four testified at trial in cooperation with the government, resulting in lighter sentences.
O'Connor sentenced Rebecca Morgan and Joy Gibson to 180 months. Gibson and Morgan did not cooperate with the government.
Those six, along with Susan Kent, pleaded guilty to one count of providing material support to terrorism last year.
Gibson — Song's partner — Baumann and Sikes were arrested at Prairieland. Thomas, Morgan and Kent pleaded guilty to helping Song escape the next day.
Wednesday's proceedings bring an end to the case in federal district court, three months after a three-week-long trial in Judge Mark Pittman's court. Trial defendants have already begun filing notices of their appeals to the federal U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The defendants still face state charges in Johnson County, including terrorism and aggravated assault. In all, 22 people have been charged in federal court, state court or both in connection with the shooting.
Prosecutors argued during trial the defendants are part of a broader "North Texas Antifa cell" that shared anti-ICE and anti-government beliefs and intended violence. The government pointed to literature, weapons and tactical gear the defendants owned as evidence, along with their communications in encrypted chats in the days leading up to July 4.
Defense attorneys countered that antifa, short for "anti-fascist" is an ideology, not a single organization one can be a part of. For some, it's become an umbrella term for more militant manifestations of left-wing beliefs like anarchism, socialism or communism. It's also been associated with anti-Trump and anti-ICE beliefs in recent years.
Attorneys, family and supporters of the defendants accuse federal officials of targeting the defendants for their political views and argue no one intended violence the night of July 4.
Legal and political science experts say the case could be the blueprint for how the Trump administration targets alleged left-wing violence as domestic terrorism – even though the charge of providing material support to terrorism is not necessarily related to being part of a terrorist organization or having any set of beliefs.
This story is developing and will be updated.
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