COLUMBUS — Tycen Proper and Chandler Scaggs pleaded not guilty to federal terrorism and murder conspiracy charges in U.S. District Court on July 16. The charges stem from their alleged involvement in a thwarted drone and sniper attack targeting a UFC cage-fighting event held at the White House.

The two defendants entered their pleas before U.S. District Court Judge Edmund Sargus Jr. in Columbus, Ohio. Judge Sargus set a trial date of September 14 for the case, which is part of a broader prosecution involving eight men indicted for planning what authorities describe as a coordinated assault on federal government territory.

Proper, 19, is from Danville, Ohio, and Scaggs, 21, is from Chapmanville, West Virginia. Both are among the eight defendants charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official. The indictments, detailed on July 9, allege the group conspired to carry out violence during a high-profile public event celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The attack was planned to take place at the cage-fighting show dubbed UFC Freedom 250, which was held on the South Lawn of the White House. According to a federal affidavit, one of the defendants told investigators the group intended to fly explosive-laden drones into the event and then shoot panicked crowd members as they fled. Law enforcement officials said they learned of the possible threat four days before the event was scheduled to take place, enabling them to disrupt the plot before it could unfold.

U.S. Attorney Dominick Gerace II described the intervention as critical to preventing potential mass casualties. "What would have happened or could have happened, that's never going to be clear, because, thank God, there was an intervention here and this thing was disrupted," Gerace said. He added, "But, in my view, when I look at what's been alleged there, it seems pretty likely that someone or multiple people were driving to Washington, D.C., to do something."

The indictment states the plot began in May, when members of the group started amassing money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment, and communications gear. They cited grievances about government corruption, water-guzzling data centers, and the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files as motivations. Officials said the suspects harbored fringe conspiracy theories and hoped the attack would destabilize the government.

The Justice Department announced charges against seven people from across the country, including from Ohio, Missouri, Washington, Nebraska, and California. Four alleged conspirators charged in Missouri, Nebraska, and California the weekend of the event, and two more charged about a week later in Washington and Missouri, are still in the process of being moved to Ohio to face charges. Chandler Scaggs was arrested last but was brought to Ohio ahead of the other out-of-state defendants.

The cases have been consolidated in Judge Sargus' court, and the defendants are likely to be tried as a group. This unified proceeding reflects the interconnected nature of the alleged conspiracy, which federal prosecutors say involved extensive planning and coordination across state lines.

The case represents one of the most serious domestic terrorism threats intercepted on U.S. soil in recent years, targeting not only a federal landmark but a nationally televised event attended by government officials and civilians alike. The planned use of explosive drones and sniper attacks at a public celebration underscores evolving tactics among extremist groups and the challenges law enforcement faces in detecting and disrupting complex, multi-state plots.

With a trial set for September 14, the proceedings will test the strength of the government’s evidence, including confessions, seized materials, and digital communications. The outcome could influence how federal authorities investigate and prosecute similar conspiracies involving emerging technologies like weaponized drones and decentralized extremist networks.