Five more men accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will stand trial.
86th District Court Judge Michael Stepka ruled that the evidence was enough to move the charges forward in Antrim County.
“There’s clear evidence of a criminal purpose with respect to all these individuals," Stepka said in court on Wednesday. "All their meetings, all their (firearm training exercises), the driving up to Elk Rapids to surveil the governor's home, etcetera — that was all seriously directed at kidnapping the governor.”
The accused are:
- Shawn Fix, 38, of Belleville;
- Eric Molitor, 36, of Cadillac;
- Michael Null, 38, of Plainwell;
- William Null, 38, of Shelbyville, and;
- Brian Higgins, 51, of Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
Each of the men faces a felony charge of providing material support for an act of terrorism. Four of them face additional weapons charges.
A pretrial conference is set for Dec. 19.
These five defendants are the latest to face charges in a plot to kidnap Whitmer after she imposed restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
