Nine Texas protesters convicted of terrorism charges received unusually harsh sentences of at least 50 years in prison on Tuesday in a closely watched case seen as a test of the Trump administration's crackdown on dissent.
Sentences Handed Down
After a three-week jury trial, the activists were found guilty in March of charges stemming from a Fourth of July protest at the Prairieland detention center in Alvarado, Texas. The demonstrators arrived late at night with a plan to set off fireworks as a noise demonstration to show solidarity with detainees. Some protesters vandalized cars, a guard shack, slashed tires on a government van, and broke a security camera. When a police officer arrived and drew his weapon, one activist fired an AR-15 from the woods, hitting the officer in the shoulder; the officer survived.
Zachary Evetts, Autumn Hill, Savanna Batten, Elizabeth Soto, and Meagan Morris were sentenced to 50 years. Maricela Rueda received 70 years. Benjamin Song, who fired the gun, was sentenced to 100 years. Daniel Sanchez-Estrada, who was not at the protest but moved materials after his wife's arrest, got 30 years.
Unusually Long Sentences
Barbara McQuade, a former federal prosecutor, noted the sentences were unusually long. "Most often, judges sentence defendants for separate counts concurrently. Here, it appears the judge stacked sentences consecutively. I would have expected 15 to 25 years, but nothing like 50 to 100 years," she wrote.
The punishments exceed those for the January 6 Capitol attack: Enrique Tarrio got 22 years, Stewart Rhodes 18 years.
Prosecution's Case
Prosecutors argued the attack was premeditated and part of a conspiracy, calling the activists a "North Texas antifa cell." They highlighted group messages planning the protest and discussing firearms and all-black clothing. However, some defendants like Batten, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto were not involved in planning, arrived separately, and left when asked. Morris stayed in a van with weapons and body armor and later fled.
Eight defendants were convicted of providing material support for terrorists. The charge does not require a connection to terrorist ideology, only support for certain crimes. The Justice Department spun the convictions as proof antifa is a terrorist organization.
Criticism and Context
Legal observers criticized the use of zines from a leftwing book club as evidence, saying it criminalized free speech. Prosecutors also focused on legally owned guns, though only one person fired a weapon. The use of encrypted messaging app Signal was cited as evidence of planned violence.
Since this case, the government has brought similar prosecutions. In Minneapolis, 15 activists were charged with conspiracy for interfering with ICE agents. In Spokane, three protesters were convicted for a 2025 ICE facility protest. A Chicago case collapsed due to grand jury misconduct.
