Former Marine Reservist and Co-Defendants Sentenced Over Shooting at Detention Center Protest

A court in Fort Worth, Texas, sentenced a former U.S. Marine reservist and seven others to long prison terms for a shooting incident that wounded a police officer. This happened during a protest at a Texas immigration detention center last year. Prosecutors described it as an act of terrorism, alleging links to the leftist militant group antifa. The defense denied any such connections, and family members were shocked by the harsh sentences.

Benjamin Song, the Marine reservist accused of opening fire during the protest on July 4 outside the Prairieland Detention Center near Dallas, received a 100-year prison sentence, the maximum possible. The remaining defendants received sentences ranging from 30 to 70 years.

“I am livid,” said Lydia Koza, regarding the 50-year sentence given to her wife, Autumn Hill. “The government wants to take her entire life away because she attended a protest. Nobody died.”

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor stated that what occurred was not a protest but “an assault on democracy.” He emphasized the necessity of deterring such conduct.

The case attracted national attention, raising concerns about its implications on protests and First Amendment free-speech rights. The Justice Department noted it as the first sentencing related to antifa under an executive order by President Donald Trump, who labeled it a domestic terrorist organization. Although antifa is not a single group but an umbrella term for far-left factions opposing neo-Nazis and white supremacists, prosecutors linked the defendants to it by their actions during the protest.

During the trial, prosecutors claimed that items like firearms, first-aid kits, and body armor signaled malicious intent. However, defense attorneys argued there was no ambush plan. They maintained firearms were carried purely for self-defense, intending a peaceful fireworks display in support of detained immigrants.

Prosecutors alleged Song shouted, “get to the rifles” before firing, injuring a newly-arrived officer at the center. Some defendants insisted they weren’t involved in the protest’s planning.

Song’s attorney, Phillip Hayes, dismissed claims of extremism and vowed to appeal the 100-year sentence. He described the group as passionate young individuals who never intended for harm.

Prosecutor Frank Gatto insisted on harsh penalties, stating, “People with that kind of extremist beliefs need extra time in prison. They believe violence is justified.”

Defendants and families sought leniency. Autumn Hill described the gathering as a party and insisted they didn’t desire violence or property damage. Her attorney, Cody Cofer, highlighted the lack of evidence showing her possession of a gun or violent intentions.

An attorney for another defendant, Chris Tolbert, asserted his client, Savanna Batten, didn’t bring firearms or participate in planning. Despite this, both Hill and Batten received 50-year sentences.

Daniel Sanchez Estrada, another protester, wasn’t present during the incident or involved in planning. His attorney, Christopher Weinbel, stated Estrada was convicted for concealing documents by relocating a box of his own legal belongings. Estrada received a 30-year sentence.

Some defendants earlier pleaded guilty to offering material support to terrorists, opting for this rather than a trial. In a related crackdown, federal prosecutors recently charged 15 individuals in Minnesota with blocking Trump administration immigration measures, accusing them of antifa ties and obstructing law enforcement.