Nine defendants have been sentenced to 30, 50, 70, and 100 years.
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DFW Support Committee Highlights Key Video Footage for Public, Which Federal Judge Mark Pittman Kept Under Seal for Weeks After Trial FORT WORTH, TX — Four months after the federal Prairieland verdicts, and a year after the Fourth of July noise demonstration held in solidarity with ICE Detention Center detainees, around which the Prairieland case revolves, the DFW Support Committee was able to piece together trial evidence to debunk government claims and refute rampant mischaracterizations in the media of that night’s events. The US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, which recently sentenced nine federal trial defendants to…
Federal Judge Cites Political Views Like Anti-ICE Beliefs, Opposition to Immigration Policies to Impose Maximum Sentence Against Prairieland Trial Defendant Versión en español a continuación FORT WORTH, TX – Additional Prairieland defendants were sentenced in federal court today, a week after shocking 30-100 year prison sentences were levied against eight trial defendants and three months after their convictions on a variety of federal charges, including riot, material support for terrorists, and possession and conspiracy to use explosives. In sentencing trial defendant Ines Soto, Chief US District Judge Reed O’Connor cited Soto’s anti-ICE beliefs and opposition to the government’s immigration policies…
One Trial Defendant, Two Defendants Who Took Non-Cooperating Plea Deals, and Four Defendants Who Took Cooperating Plea Deals Will Be Sentenced on Wednesday FORT WORTH, TX – One week after a Fort Worth federal court imposed shocking and unprecedented 30-100 year sentences for nine Prairieland defendants convicted in March, the US District Court will sentence another seven defendants on Wednesday, July 1. Trial defendant Ines Soto, convicted of rioting, conspiracy to use an explosive, and providing material support to terrorists, will be sentenced by Judge Reed O’Connor, the same judge who sentenced four Prairieland defendants last week. Judge O’Connor will also…
Family Members, Faith and Community Leaders, Rally in Support of Defendants, Vow to Continue Fight for Freedom, Justice for Loved Ones Versión en español a continuación FORT WORTH, TX – Eight Prairieland defendants were sentenced in federal court today, three months after their convictions on a variety of federal charges, including riot, material support for terrorists, attempted murder, possession and conspiracy to use explosives, and conspiracy to conceal documents. Family members and supporters, who sat stunned as US District Judges Mark Pittman and Reed O’Connor delivered sentences ranging from 30-100 years in prison, called the punishment cruel, callous and starkly…
Sentencing Comes Despite Pending Motions to Overturn Verdicts, Based on Insufficient Evidence and Trial “Designed to Evoke Fear, Political Bias” FORT WORTH, TX – Nine Prairieland defendants who were convicted in March of numerous federal charges in one of the most closely watched legal cases against anti-ICE demonstrators will be sentenced over the next two weeks, on June 23 and July 1. Supporters will hold a press conference, featuring statements by defendants, family members, as well as community and faith leaders, outside the federal courthouse in Fort Worth on June 23 at 3pm or when sentencing concludes. Despite what many…
Texas Court of Appeals Reverses Lower Court’s Denial of Bond Reduction for Prairieland Defendant, Orders Court to Set “Reasonable Bail” CLEBURNE, TX — The last Prairieland defendant to be arraigned, Lucy Fowlkes, has a hearing on Thursday, June 11, in order to enter a plea and move to reduce her $10 million bond. The State of Texas is using exorbitant bonds of up to $15 million to keep Fowlkes and almost all of her 21 co-defendants imprisoned, most of whom have been in custody for nearly a year since their arrests, as they await State trials, none of which have…
Motion to Quash Comes Two Weeks After Arraignment of Three New Prairieland Defendants, Indicted Without Fanfare by the State of Texas CLEBURNE, TX – Lawyers for Prairieland defendant Dario Sanchez filed a motion in State court yesterday to quash two counts of hindering the prosecution of terrorism. Texas District Court Judge William Bosworth ruled last week denying defense efforts to quash Sanchez’s other charge of tampering with physical evidence for removing someone from group text chats. On May 19, Sanchez was re-indicted by the District Attorney for a third time since his arrest in an attempt to clean up a previously flawed…
Two Weeks After Stunning Verdict, Prairieland Defense Lawyers Filed Motions Friday for Judgments of Acquittal and New Trial,Based in Part on Allegations of Juror Misconduct DALLAS-FORT WORTH, TX — Lawyers for nine recently convicted defendants in the landmark Prairieland ICE Detention Center protest case filed motions late Friday in an effort to overturn the jury verdicts reached two weeks ago. All defense lawyers filed motions for judgments of acquittal and, in the alternative, a new trial, based on Rule 29 and Rule 33 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, respectively. Defense lawyers claimed the government failed to enter evidence…
Press Conference and Demonstration Supporting Prairieland Defendants To Be Held Outside Courthouse Today After Closing Arguments FORT WORTH, TX – In a surprise move, the defense rested their case yesterday without calling any witnesses. After ten full days of the prosecution’s case, it was expected that the defense would take at least until the end of the week to present their case, but lawyers abruptly moved for acquittal on all counts. The jury is expected to be sequestered for deliberation as early as today or tomorrow. The verdict is highly anticipated by many, who see the trial’s outcome as precedent-setting…
Defense Case is Vindicated by Testimony from Multiple Cooperating Witnesses, as Prosecution Prepares to Call Controversial Expert Witness on “Antifa” FORT WORTH, TX – Defendants in the landmark Prairieland trial were vindicated by testimony from cooperating state witnesses over the past three days, in a case that stems from a noise demonstration at the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas on July 4, 2025. The prosecution called to the stand multiple defendants who have taken cooperating plea deals, affirming many of the defense’s key arguments about the case. The cooperating witnesses clearly stated that the noise demonstration was intended to show solidarity…