FBI Stops Ex-Marine Heading to New Orleans With Arsenal to Attack ICE Agents

Fifth Arrest in New Year’s Eve Terror Plot

The FBI arrested a former Marine and ex-police officer on a Louisiana highway, finding an assault rifle, pistol, body armor, and gas canister in the vehicle.

Micah Legnon was heading to New Orleans with what investigators called everything needed to carry out an attack on federal immigration agents.

He had posted in encrypted chats that he wanted to “recreate Waco,” the 1993 siege that left 76 people dead.

Legnon became the fifth person charged in a foiled plot to bomb Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve, and what agents found at his home made the threat look even worse.

Agents Stop Legnon on Highway 90

On December 12, 2025, FBI agents pulled over Micah Legnon as he drove east on Highway 90 toward New Orleans. Inside the vehicle, they found an assault rifle, a pistol, a gas canister, and body armor.

Agents had been watching Legnon since the day before, after spotting him loading the gear into his car at his New Iberia home.

He was about two hours from New Orleans when they made the stop.

The Aliases Behind the Plot

Legnon went by “Kateri TheWitch” and “DarkWitch She/Her” in encrypted Signal group chats. The 29-year-old uses she/her pronouns online, though jail records list Legnon as male.

In those chats, Legnon communicated with four other suspects who were planning a separate attack in California.

Just before his arrest, Legnon posted a video showing guns, gas canisters, and body armor with the message that he was heading to New Orleans.

Fifth Suspect in Foiled Terror Plot

Legnon became the fifth person arrested in connection with the Turtle Island Liberation Front, a group the FBI describes as far-left, pro-Palestinian, and anti-government.

The other four suspects were arrested in California three days later while testing bombs in the Mojave Desert.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced Legnon’s arrest separately, calling him a “considerable threat” linked to the same extremist network.

Operation Midnight Sun Targeted LA

The California suspects had an eight-page handwritten plan called “Operation Midnight Sun. ” It detailed how they would plant backpacks filled with pipe bombs at five logistics centers in the Los Angeles area.

The bombs were set to detonate simultaneously at midnight on New Year’s Eve. The plan noted that fireworks would mask the explosions.

Investigators described the targets as “Amazon-type” shipping facilities.

Desert Bomb Test Ends in Arrests

On December 12, the same day Legnon was stopped in Louisiana, the four California suspects drove to the Mojave Desert to test their explosives.

They set up tents, laid out PVC pipes, sulfur, charcoal, and fuses on folding tables, and began assembling devices.

An FBI surveillance plane recorded everything from above. Agents moved in before they could finish building a functional bomb.

Legnon Wanted to Recreate Waco

Court documents show Legnon posted in the group chat about wanting to “recreate Waco” against Border Patrol agents in New Orleans.

The reference was to the 1993 siege in Texas, where a 51-day standoff between federal agents and the Branch Davidian religious sect ended with a fire that killed 76 people, including 25 children.

Investigators say the message showed Legnon’s intent to cause mass casualties.

Marine Turned Cop Turned Suspect

Legnon served in the Marines and received combat training before joining the New Iberia Police Department in August 2019. He left the force in September 2022 after being placed on administrative leave.

In group chats, Legnon referenced his military background, offering to teach fellow members “urban tactics” and “combat shooting.”

He claimed to have trained “damn near battalion level numbers” during his service.

What Agents Found at His Home

When FBI agents searched Legnon’s New Iberia residence, they found sniper training manuals, SWAT training manuals, multiple assault rifles, and large amounts of ammunition.

The arsenal matched images Legnon had shared in the Signal group chat.

Investigators say the materials showed he had the capability and intent to carry out a serious attack on federal agents.

The Order of the Black Lotus

Legnon and the California suspects communicated through a Signal chat called “Order of the Black Lotus. ” Members described it as a “radical” splinter faction of the larger Turtle Island Liberation Front.

The group used encrypted messaging to discuss tactics, share bomb-making instructions, and coordinate timing.

Burner phones were part of the plan, with instructions to destroy them after the attacks.

Immigration Raids Sparked the Plot

Court documents indicate the attack plan gained urgency after ICE launched “Operation Catahoula Crunch” in southeast Louisiana.

The enforcement operation deployed hundreds of immigration agents to the region with a goal of 5,000 arrests.

Legnon posted his “recreate Waco” message the day after ICE agents arrived in New Orleans. The timing suggests the immigration crackdown directly motivated his planned attack.

Five Suspects Now Face Federal Charges

Legnon is charged with threats in interstate commerce, which carries up to five years in federal prison. He is being held in Iberia Parish Jail and has been assigned a public defender.

The four California suspects face conspiracy and possession of unregistered destructive devices, with sentences up to 10 years each.

Prosecutors say additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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