Three protesters, known as the “Spokane 3,” were convicted on federal conspiracy charges for their involvement in protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Washington state last year. The individuals, Jac Archer, Justice Forral, and Bajun Mavalwalla II, were accused of attempting to block federal officers from moving two detained immigrants from Spokane to Tacoma in June 2025, as reported by KUOW. These protests were fueled by a social media post from former Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart, which called for action to obstruct the transport bus.
Stuckart, serving as a sponsor for one of the asylum-seeking immigrants, was arrested alongside nine other protesters facing conspiracy charges. KUOW noted that Stuckart and five others entered guilty pleas in exchange for lighter sentences.
Following the verdict, Washington state Representative Natasha Hill, D-Spokane, criticized Stuckart’s absence from the trial, saying, “You started this and you couldn’t even show up to finish it.” Hill urged Stuckart and others to continue their advocacy work, emphasizing that the convictions do not signal an end to the struggle.
“I feel awful about the guilty verdict,” Stuckart wrote on Facebook. “I feel awful for Jac, Bajun, and Justice and their families. I support those that took plea deals and those that went to trial.”
Stuckart indicated that attending the two-week trial would have breached his parole conditions. He expressed ongoing support for the detained individuals, saying, “I am trying my best to finish what I started by taking care of the guys the government wrongfully took.”
Bajun Mavalwalla Sr., a congressional candidate and father of one convicted protester, argued that federal prosecutors intended to make an example of his son. He accused the government of attempting to stifle dissent against immigration enforcement, asserting, “The right to protest, the right to dissent, the right to assemble — all of those things are now in question because of this case.” He claimed that other cases across the country have been dismissed when juries were not compromised.