Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer

2022 - 12 - 28

Post cover — Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Michigan governor kidnap plot: man sentenced to over 19 years in ... (The Guardian)

Barry Croft Jr, the co-leader of the stunning plot to abduct the governor from her vacation home, is the final defendant in the case.

In August, 19 months after leaving office, Trump said the kidnapping plan was a “fake deal”. “He called for riots, ‘torching’ government officials in their sleep and setting off a ‘domino’ effect of violence across the country.” The two men were convicted in August of conspiracy charges at a second trial in Grand Rapids. A different jury in Grand Rapids, Michigan, could not reach a verdict on the pair at the first trial last spring but They were accused of running a stunning plot to abduct Governor Gretchen Whitmer from her vacation home just before the 2020 presidential election. Fox, 39, and Croft, 47, were convicted of two counts of conspiracy at a second trial in August.

Barry Croft Jr. sentenced to more than 19 years for role in plot to ... (CBS News)

A Delaware trucker described as a co-leader of the conspiracy to kidnap Michigan's governor has been sentenced to more than 19 years in prison.

In August, 19 months after leaving office, Trump said the kidnapping plan was a "fake deal." "He called for riots, 'torching' government officials in their sleep and setting off a 'domino' effect of violence across the country." The two men were convicted in August of conspiracy charges [at a second trial](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/adam-fox-barry-croft-jr-michigan-governor-gretchen-whitmer-kidnap-plot/) in Grand Rapids. [key ally Adam Fox was sentenced to 16 years in prison](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/adam-fox-sentencing-michigan-governer-gretchen-whitmer-kidnap-plot/) after prosecutors also recommended a life sentence for his role in a scheme to snatch Democratic Gov. They were accused of running a stunning plot to abduct Gov. Fox, 39, and Croft, 47, were convicted of two counts of conspiracy.

The Men Who Plotted To Kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ... (BuzzFeed News)

Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. were found guilty of conspiring to abduct the governor and planning to use a weapon of mass destruction.

Whitmer, a Democrat, from her vacation home before the November 2020 election and hold a sham “treason” trial in response to her pandemic lockdown orders. 27, and a day later, his co-conspirator, 47-year-old Barry Croft Jr., of Delaware, was [sentenced](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/final-defendant-michigan-governor-kidnapping-plot-sentenced-over-19-years-prison) to more than 19 years in prison. 15, they were each sentenced up to 20 years in prison. The group intended to kidnap Gov. A total of six men were originally charged in the case. The jury was unable to reach a verdict in the charges against Fox and Croft last April.

Ringleader of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot ... (NBC News)

A man convicted of playing a key role in the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov.

[Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta were acquitted of federal charges](https://apnews.com/article/whitmer-kidnap-plot-trial-hung-jury-e5b58234b134e32d9655288a51f107fb) in April. [Fox was sentenced to 16 years in prison Tuesday](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-sentenced-16-years-plotting-kidnap-michigan-gov-gretchen-whitmer-rcna63327) by U.S. "And they don't have to be tactically sound or somebody who is the best guy with a gun on the battlefield — he was the ideas guy." "His father, who has been described as cold and detached, puts aluminum foil on his ceiling on his bedroom so aliens can’t reach his brain waves. “I think he was the person who gave Mr. [ April failed to come to verdicts](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jury-declines-convict-defendants-michigan-gov-whitmer-kidnapping-trial-rcna22516) against Fox and Croft, forcing a judge to declare a mistrial before a [second trial proved decisive](https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/deliberations-start-for-men-charged-in-gov-whitmer-plot/). [addition to Fox and Croft](https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/pr/2022_1228_Croft), other plotters [included Ty Garbin](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/man-who-plotted-kidnap-michigan-gov-gretchen-whitmer-sentenced-over-n1277582), 27, who [pleaded guilty to conspiracy](https://apnews.com/article/ty-garbin-plead-guilty-kidnap-whitmer-e75bd5bd6afef044b20efde2559ea855) and was sentenced 30 months after cooperating with prosecutors; and [Kaleb Franks](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-gets-4-years-plotting-kidnap-michigan-gov-whitmer-rcna51141), 28, who [ pleaded guilty ](https://apnews.com/article/elections-crime-presidential-michigan-gretchen-whitmer-1c84536349ddc21913ca18916799b1b9)to conspiracy and was sentenced to four years, also after testifying. [who won re-election last month](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2022-election/michigan-governor-election-2022-gretchen-whitmer-wins-race-rcna55171), was the focus of far-right rage in 2020 when she imposed various lockdowns to curb the [spread of Covid](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/coronavirus). “I do think of Mr. Croft needed some intervention." Gretchen Whitmer was sentenced to [were convicted in August ](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-men-guilty-plotting-kidnap-michigan-gov-gretchen-whitmer-rcna44430)of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and to use a weapon of mass destruction to attack Whitmer, who drew the hatred of far-right groups for her efforts to curb the spread of Covid in 2020.

Co-leader of plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer ... (KFSN-TV)

Barry Croft Jr., described as Adam Fox's co-leader in a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, was sentenced to 19 years in prison.

In August, 19 months after leaving office, Trump said the kidnapping plan was a "fake deal." Jonker described him as "the idea guy" behind the plot and called him "a very convincing communicator" for people who were open to his views. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Croft's plan called for riots, "torching" government officials in their sleep and setting off violence across the country. there are people who believe this sort of rhetoric, and he used it," Kessler told the judge. Prosecutors had sought a life sentence for Barry Croft Jr., 47, who was the fourth and final federal defendant to learn his fate.

Key architect of Michigan governor kidnapping plot sentenced to ... (Reuters)

Dec 28 (Reuters) - A right-wing militia member convicted in the plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was sentenced to over 19 years in prison ...

The same jury failed to reach a verdict for Fox and Croft, resulting in a mistrial for them. The pair were also found guilty of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction - an explosive device that prosecutors say was intended to hinder law enforcement's response to the planned kidnapping. The attorneys of Fox and Croft had said prosecutors overstated their role. Prosecutors had accused the two of conspiring to trigger "a second American Revolution" by kidnapping Whitmer. District Court a day after another ringleader had been sentenced to 16 years, prosecutors said. Adam Fox, 39, who was also a member of the Three Percenters and was convicted of the same charges at the same trial,

Final Defendant in Michigan Governor Kidnapping Plot Sentenced ... (Department of Justice)

Barry Croft Jr., 47, of Bear, Delaware, was sentenced today to 235 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to kidnap ...

Tarasca of the FBI Detroit Field Office made the announcement. Ty Garbin, 27, of Hartland, Michigan, pleaded guilty in January 2021 and initially received a sentence of 75 months, or over six years, in prison. A jury in an earlier trial was unable to reach a verdict.