In a significant development, a 22-year-old California man, Tibet Ergul of Irvine, pleaded guilty to orchestrating a firebombing attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa in March 2022.
Shockingly, he also admitted to planning an attack on an electrical substation and conspiring to target Dodger Stadium during an LGBTQI+ pride celebration.
Charges and Sentencing Details: Maximum Penalty of 21 Years
Tibet Ergul pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to damage an energy facility and a misdemeanor count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility.
The sentencing is scheduled for May 30, with Ergul facing a maximum penalty of 21 years in prison for his admitted crimes.
Firebombing Planned Parenthood: Motives and Execution
According to Ergul’s plea agreement, he and Chance Brannon, an active-duty U.S. Marine at the time, conspired to use a Molotov cocktail to damage a Planned Parenthood clinic.
The attack aimed to discourage reproductive health services, make a statement about abortion, and intimidate clinic staff.
The duo successfully executed the firebombing on March 13, 2022, causing the temporary closure of the clinic and rescheduling of patient appointments.
Additional Planned Attacks: Dodger Stadium and Electrical Substation
Ergul’s guilty plea extended to a planned attack on Dodger Stadium following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Moreover, Ergul and Brannon schemed to target a Southern California Edison electrical substation to disrupt Orange County’s power grid.
Their plans included the use of firearms or a Molotov cocktail. Despite meticulous planning, they were arrested before executing the substation attack.
Discussion of Dodger Stadium Attack During LGBTQI+ Pride Celebration
The plea agreement revealed discussions between Ergul and Brannon about attacking Dodger Stadium during a night celebrating LGBTQI+ pride.
Their plans involved using a remotely detonated device. Law enforcement arrested the individuals just two days before Dodger Stadium’s scheduled “Pride Night.”
Co-Conspirators’ Guilty Pleas: Brannon and Batten
Ergul is the third and final defendant to plead guilty in this case. Chance Brannon, also in federal custody since June 2023, previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the planned attacks.
Xavier Batten from Florida, in custody since July 2023, pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered destructive device and intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility.
Investigation and Assistance: Joint Efforts by Law Enforcement
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service led the investigation, with significant assistance from the Costa Mesa Police Department and the Costa Mesa Fire Department. Assistant U.S.
Attorney Kathrynne N. Seiden is prosecuting the case in the Central District of California, with support from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
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