Nine defendants have been sentenced to 30, 50, 70, and 100 years.
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Cross-Examination of Government Witnesses Leaves Defendants’ Supporters Feeling Confident as Trial Enters Second Week, Despite Attempts by the Prosecution to Block Defense Strategies FORT WORTH, TX – The first week of trial against nine defendants in the widely watched federal Prairieland ICE Detention Center case continued to expose the contradictions and weaknesses in the government’s arguments, as well as unconstitutional conduct by police. Despite claiming the July 4 protest was an ambush, police witnesses testified last week that little damage was done to the facility and the Detention Center staff was largely ignored. Moreover, the responding officer Lt. Thomas Gross…
Lt. Thomas Gross’ Testimony undermined the government’s argument that the noise protest on July 4, 2025 was an “ambush” and a “planned attack” FORT WORTH, TX – Opening arguments and testimony from the Alvarado police officer at the center of the controversial Prairieland ICE Detention Center case marked the first day of trial against nine defendants. The federal government offered no new or compelling arguments in their opening statement and relied heavily on First Amendment-protected activity to make their case. However, during cross-examination, Alvarado police officer Lt. Thomas Gross revealed information that undermines the government’s narrative that the noise demonstration on…
Concerns Grow Over Whether Nine Federal Prairieland Defendants Can Receive a Fair Trial Based on Severe Trial Restrictions, Prejudicial Statements at Highest Levels of Government, Press Conference Called for 8am Monday in Advance of Jury Selection FORT WORTH, TX – Nine defendants will proceed to federal trial on Monday in a widely watched case that stems from a July 4, 2025 noise demonstration in support of detained immigrants at the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. Following a mistrial declared last week by presiding U.S. District Court Judge Mark Pittman for a defense attorney’s attire featuring civil rights leaders,…
After Expressing Animus Against Defense Counsel, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Pittman Attributed Mistrial to Attire of Single Attorney, Delaying Start of Trial by a Week FORT WORTH, TX – U.S. District Court Judge Mark Pittman declared a mistrial on Tuesday, February 17th, the first day of jury selection in the Prairieland trial, a federal case involving nine defendants that stems from a July 4, 2025, noise demonstration at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. Prairieland is an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility which has received significant criticism for inhumane conditions and mistreatment of detainees, most recently for…
Jury Selection Set to Begin Tuesday, February 17—for a Trial with Severe Public Access Restrictions, Plagued by Prejudicial Statements at Highest Levels of Government—Preceded by a Press Conference at 8:30am FORT WORTH, TX – Nine defendants will proceed to federal trial next week in a widely watched case that stems from a July 4, 2025 noise demonstration in support of detained immigrants at the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, February 17, followed by the trial which is expected to last at least three weeks. Defendants Savanna Batten, Zachary Evetts, Autumn…
Just Days Before the Federal Trial Begins, Defense Motions Seek to Supress Evidence, Exclude Codefendant Statements at Trial FORT WORTH, TX — Days before a widely watched federal trial is set to begin in the Prairieland ICE protest case, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Pittman ordered pretrial motions hearings for Tuesday, February 10 and Thursday, February 12. Nine defendants—Savanna Batten, Zachary Evetts, Autumn Hill, Meagan Morris, Maricela Rueda, Daniel “Des” Rolando Sanchez Estrada, Benjamin “Champagne” Song, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto—who were indicted in November on a variety of charges including riot, discharging a firearm, attempted murder, material support for…
Defense Motion to Quash Will Be Heard on Thursday, January 22 in Johnson County District Court CLEBURNE, TX – A pretrial hearing will take place on January 22 for one of the defendants in the Prairieland case, which involves 19 people criminally charged in connection with a July 4, 2025 solidarity demonstration outside the Prairieland immigration detention center in Alvarado, Texas. The 413th District Court of Johnson County will hear a motion to quash the state indictment against Dario Sanchez. Sanchez, the sole defendant currently released on bond, is facing state charges of hindering the prosecution of terrorism and tampering…
Federal Judge in Prairieland ICE Detention Center Protest Case Fines Defense Attorneys Five Hundred Dollars Each After Filing Motion to Compel Discovery, Suggests Defendants Take Pleas FORT WORTH, TX — A federal judge in the Prairieland ICE Detention Center case fined three defense lawyers five hundred dollars each last week for a mistake in a routine motion to compel discovery. In a Show Cause hearing on January 14, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Pittman, admonished lawyers for Prairieland defendant Zachary Evetts, calling the motion “frivolous.” In response to this and other actions taken by Judge Pittman in the Prairieland case,…
Lucy Fowlkes Arrested Yesterday and Charged with Hindering Prosecution of Terrorism in What Supporters Say is an Effort to Pressure Her to Cooperate With the State CLEBURNE, TX—Police arrested Lucy Fowlkes at her family home in Weatherford, TX, yesterday. They took her into custody at Johnson County Jail. Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation accompanied local police during the arrest on Monday evening, though she was charged under state, not federal law. Johnson County prosecutors have charged Fowlkes with Hindering the Prosecution of Terrorism and have set bond at $5 million. Similar to Daniel Sanchez Estrada, Janette Goering, and…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 3, 2025 CONTACT:DFW Support Committee dfwsupportcommittee@hacari.com Nine Defendants in Prairieland ICE Detention Center Protest Case Plead Not Guilty in Federal Arraignments This Week Federal Jury Trials Are Scheduled to Start January 5 for Nine Defendants, As Sentencing Hearings Approach in March for Seven Defendants Who Pleaded Guilty Last Month DALLAS-FORT WORTH, TX — Nine defendants in the Prairieland ICE Detention Center protest case pleaded ‘not guilty’ today to federal charges, including riot, discharging a firearm, attempted murder, providing material support to terrorists, and conspiracy to conceal documents. A federal superseding indictment was filed in the Prairieland case…