Chicago Man Charged With Obstruction in White House UFC Plot

A 20-year-old Chicago man has been charged with obstructing the federal investigation into an alleged plot to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event held at the White House on June 14, marking the eighth arrest in a widening conspiracy that authorities say involved drones, snipers, and a coordinated plan to kill government officials.

Alexander Iniguez Mercado was indicted June 25 on one count of obstruction of justice and made his initial appearance in federal court in Chicago on June 26, where he pleaded not guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes, according to the Department of Justice. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The Alleged Role of Mercado

Federal prosecutors allege Mercado served as an administrator of a Signal messaging group whose members communicated about planning a violent attack on the UFC event, which was hosted on the South Lawn of the White House as part of President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday celebration.

According to the indictment, an FBI special agent called Mercado on June 13 — the day before the event — and informed him about the investigation into threats. The agent asked whether Mercado planned to travel to Washington, D.C., which he denied. After the call, Mercado allegedly uninstalled the Signal application from his phone, causing the encrypted message data to become unavailable to investigators.

“Obstructing justice in a law enforcement investigation into a planned violent domestic attack is a profoundly serious offense,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois in a statement. “The investigation in this case involved serious threats to public safety, including the safety of President Donald J. Trump.”

Mercado’s attorney denied his client was part of any terror plot, telling NBC Chicago that someone in the group chat made “an offhanded comment about survivalism” and Mercado “freaked” when he was contacted by the FBI.

Federal officials also allege Mercado contacted a high-level co-conspirator to warn him the FBI was on their trail. That individual remains at large. A detention hearing to determine whether Mercado should be held in prison awaiting trial is scheduled for June 30.

A Widening Conspiracy

The plot was uncovered when the parents of Tycen Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio, contacted local police about their son’s concerning behavior and recent firearms purchases. That tip triggered a multi-state investigation involving the FBI, Secret Service, and local law enforcement across at least six states.

According to charging documents, the conspirators allegedly planned to fly small drones laden with explosives near the UFC event to force an evacuation, then deploy snipers to shoot at attendees — including lawmakers targeted based on their perceived support for Israel — as they fled.

The group communicated through encrypted messaging apps and allegedly planned to rendezvous in Fredericksburg, Virginia, before executing the attack. As of June 26, at least 10 individuals have been charged in connection with the plot, including the original five defendants arrested on June 14-15, two additional arrests on June 19-21, Mercado, and one still-at-large co-conspirator.

Security and Legal Implications

The case highlights significant challenges facing law enforcement in the age of encrypted communications. While the FBI was able to identify Mercado as a group administrator, the encryption on Signal prevented investigators from accessing the content of messages on his phone after he deleted the app.

FBI Chicago Field Office Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta praised the collaborative effort, stating that “thanks to the partnerships on the FBI Chicago’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, to include the relentless work by the U.S. Secret Service, this attack was successfully foiled before any innocent people were gravely injured or killed.”

Mercado’s case is notable because he is charged specifically with obstruction — deleting evidence after being contacted by law enforcement — rather than with conspiracy to commit violence. This legal strategy raises questions about the obligations of individuals when contacted by federal investigators and the consequences of destroying potential evidence, even when that evidence consists of encrypted communications.

What’s Next

With Mercado’s detention hearing set for June 30 and the investigation continuing, authorities are still searching for at least one co-conspirator who remains at large. The case represents one of the most serious domestic terror threats against a White House event in recent years and underscores the ongoing tension between digital privacy and national security.

A detention hearing for Mercado is scheduled for June 30 before a magistrate judge in Chicago.