Three men convicted of aiding ‘terrorist’ plot to kidnap Michigan governor

Trevor Schakohl, DCNF

A Michigan jury found three men guilty Wednesday of aiding a terrorist due to their involvement with two men convicted of plotting to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, according to The Detroit News.

Paul Bellar, Joseph Morrison and Pete Musico are set to be sentenced Dec. 15, facing up to 22 total years in prison for providing material support to a terrorist, gang membership and a felony weapons charge, the outlet reported. The jury determined they provided aid to Adam Fox and Barry Croft, who were found guilty in August of conspiring to kidnap Whitmer and possessing a weapon of mass destruction. Croft was also convicted of unregistered destructive device possession.

“These three defendants had been pushing toward violence for months,” prosecuting Assistant Attorney General Sunita Doddamani said, according to The Detroit News. “Even if they weren’t going to do an act of terrorism themselves, they were more than happy and willing to help someone else.”

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The prosecution argued that Bellar, Morrison and Musico were early members of Wolverine Watchmen militia that helped Fox and Croft prepare to kidnap the governor, and knew Fox had violent intentions, The Detroit News reported. Bellar provided training, while Musico and Morrison made facilities and personnel available, with Morrison advising Fox, the prosecution said.

Fox and Croft’s lawyers had argued the FBI entrapped them, according to The Associated Press. FBI Special Agent Christopher Long testified in August during their retrial that FBI informant Jenny Plunk shared a hotel room in July 2020, and she and informant Steve Robeson allegedly smoked weed with him, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Lawyers for Bellar, Morrison and Musico did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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