Chicago man is 8th person charged in alleged planned attack targeting UFC event at White House

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A Chicago man has been arrested after federal prosecutors said he obstructed an investigation into an alleged planned violent attack targeting a UFC event at the White House.

What we know:

Alexander Iniguez Mercado, 20, of Chicago, was arrested Thursday and charged with obstruction of justice, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Federal prosecutors said Mercado was allegedly an administrator and member of Signal messaging groups that included members who appeared to communicate with others about planning a violent attack targeting the Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House on June 14.

The charge was outlined in an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Seven other people from multiple states have also been charged in connection with the planning of the alleged violent attack, according to the Justice Department.

What prosecutors allege

According to the indictment, an FBI special agent spoke with Mercado by phone the day before the UFC event.

The agent told Mercado he was calling to discuss online threats involving the UFC event and asked whether Mercado planned to travel to Washington, D.C., to help with the attack, prosecutors said.

Mercado allegedly denied those plans and told the agent he did not want to meet with him.

Prosecutors said Mercado then uninstalled the Signal app on his phone, which caused data on his phone related to those messages to become unavailable.

What officials said

"Obstructing justice in a law enforcement investigation into a planned violent domestic attack is a profoundly serious offense," U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois said in a statement.

Boutros said the investigation involved "serious threats to public safety," including the safety of President Donald J. Trump, other government officials, attendees and athletes at the White House event.

"The FBI’s most important responsibility of protecting the American people means that our personnel work 24/7/365 to evaluate the ever-changing threat landscape and disrupt acts of violence before they occur," said Douglas S. DePodesta, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office.

Acting Special Agent in Charge James Morley of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office said the safety and security of the president and others under Secret Service protection is the agency’s "highest priority."

What happens next

Mercado was scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court in Chicago on Friday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes for the Northern District of Illinois.

If convicted, Mercado faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, according to the Justice Department.

The FBI and U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.

The Justice Department said an indictment contains only allegations and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

D.C. Crime