Paul Egan and Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press/

The federal government charged six people with conspiring to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, according to newly unsealed court records.

Members of a militia group purchased weapons, conducted surveillance and held training and planning meetings, but they were foiled in part because the FBI infiltrated the group with informants, according to a criminal complaint.

The FBI became aware early in 2020, through social media, that a militia group was “discussing the violent overthrow of certain government and law enforcement components” and “agreed to take violent action,” according to a sworn affidavit.

Members of the group talked about “murdering … tyrants” or “taking” a sitting governor, according to the affidavit. The FBI monitored a meeting June 20 in Grand Rapids, the affidavit says.

Discussions included using 200 men to “storm” the Capitol Building in Lansing, kidnap hostages including Whitmer and try the governor for treason, according to the affidavit.

The group met for field exercises and training this year and conducted surveillance of the governor’s vacation home on at least two occasions in late August and September, the affidavit alleges. They purchased an 800,000-volt Taser and night goggles for use in the kidnapping plot, according to court records. Members of the plot said they wanted to complete the kidnapping before the election Nov. 3, according to the affidavit.

“All of us can disagree about politics, but those disagreements should never, ever result in violence,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider in the Eastern District of Michigan. “The allegations in this complaint are deeply disturbing. We owe our thanks to the men and women of law enforcement who uncovered this plot and have worked so hard to protect Gov. Whitmer.”

Conspirators targeted governor’s vacation home, recordings reveal

Charged in the U.S. District Court in the western district of Michigan are Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta, according to a criminal complaint. They are charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, according to the complaint.

All are residents of Michigan except Croft of Delaware, the complaint says.

Col. Joseph Gasper, director of the Michigan State Police, which worked with federal agents on the investigation, called the case “unprecedented,” and “one of the largest cases in recent history that the Michigan State Police has been involved in.”

More than a dozen people from several states met in Dublin, Ohio, on June 6 and talked about creating a society that followed the U.S. Bill of Rights, in which they could be self-sufficient. After that meeting, a militia group in Michigan was contacted.

The FBI used confidential informants as part of the investigation and paid one of them more than $14,000, according to the affidavit.

On July 18, at a meeting in Ohio that was secretly recorded, Garbin allegedly suggested shooting up the governor’s vacation home instead of trying to go to the Capitol in Lansing.

Fox said the best opportunity to abduct Whitmer would be at her personal vacation home or the governor’s official summer residence on Mackinac Island, according to the affidavit.

Fox allegedly described the plans as “Snatch and grab, man.”

Once kidnapped, Whitmer would be moved to a “secure location” in Wisconsin for “trial,” according to the affidavit.

Fox suggested they get a real estate agent to help them find the exact location of the vacation home and collect information on the surrounding homes and structures, according to the affidavit.

Read the FBI affidavit in the militia plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer

He discussed the importance of knowing the layout of the yard, homes and security, said they needed to map out the surrounding property and gates and needed plumbers and electricians to help them read blueprints to refine their strategy, according to the affidavit. Fox suggested recruiting an engineer or information technology expert, a “demo guy” and other “operators,” the affidavit alleges.

Follow reporter Paul Egan on Twitter @paulegan4

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Gretchen Whitmer: Six people charged in plot against Michigan governor