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CHICAGO - A Chicago man is in federal custody after authorities accused him of obstructing an investigation into an alleged plot to carry out a violent attack at a UFC event at the White House.
The backstory:
Alexander Iniguez Mercado, 20, was arrested Thursday on a federal charge of obstruction of justice, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois.
Prosecutors allege Mercado served as an administrator and member of Signal messaging groups in which participants discussed plans for a violent attack targeting the June 14 UFC event at the White House. Seven other people also have been charged in connection with the alleged plot, authorities said.
According to an indictment, an FBI special agent spoke with Mercado by phone the day before the event while investigating online threats related to the UFC event. The agent asked whether Mercado planned to travel to Washington, D.C. to assist with the attack, prosecutors said.
Authorities said Mercado denied planning to travel to Washington and declined to meet with the agent.
After the call, Mercado allegedly uninstalled the Signal messaging app from his phone, causing messages and other data to become unavailable to investigators, according to prosecutors.
What they're saying:
"Obstructing justice in a law enforcement investigation into a planned violent domestic attack is a profoundly serious offense," said U.S. Attorney Boutros. "The investigation in this case involved serious threats to public safety, including the safety of President Donald J. Trump, the 45th and 47th President of the United States of America, other members of government, as well as the many attendees and athletes who attended the event at the White House. Any obstructive conduct to interfere with this investigation undermines the integrity of the justice system as well as the rule of law. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will pursue all appropriate charges against those who act to obstruct law enforcement investigations because safeguarding the public depends on the full, unhindered pursuit of the evidence."
"The safety and security of the President of the United States and all those under our protection is the U.S. Secret Service’s highest priority," said Secret Service Acting SAC Morley. "We approach this mission with dedication and vigilance in the current heightened threat environment. Successfully carrying out our protective mission is strengthened by strong partnerships. I want to thank the FBI for its steadfast collaboration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Illinois for its relentless pursuit of justice."
What's next:
The obstruction charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if Mercado is convicted.
Mercado is scheduled to appear in federal court in Chicago at 3 p.m. Friday.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois.