As part of their plot, each man focused on substations in different regions of the country and how to attack electrical networks with rifles, according to court documents. According to court documents, the three men discussed that a nationwide blackout for an extended period would spread civil unrest, a race war would break out, and the next Great Depression could be triggered.
“People won’t show up for work, the economy could collapse, and potential (white) leaders will have a great opportunity to rise up,” Mr. Cook’s plea agreement says. “One of the topics of the group discussions was the need to create disorder in order to destroy the system, which would make people question the system and create a real revolutionary force against the system.”
In February 2020, the three men met in Columbus for further negotiations about their plot, according to court documents. When they met, Mr. Frost presented Mr. Cook with an AR-47 and, according to court documents, the two men were practicing with a rifle at a shooting range.
Mr. Frost also gave Mr. Cook and Mr. Savall suicide necklaces he filled with fentanyl that were supposed to be swallowed if they were caught by the police, according to court documents.
While in Columbus, Mr. Savall and Mr. Cook bought spray paint and used it to write the phrase “Join the Front” on a swastika flag under a park bridge, according to court documents. The men had more plans to spread propaganda while they were in Ohio, until they were confronted by police during a traffic stop during which Mr. Savall swallowed his suicide necklace but survived, per a plea agreement.
On Wednesday evening, it was not immediately clear why Mr. Savall and Mr. Cook were stopped by the police at the time. A call to federal prosecutors on Wednesday evening was not returned immediately.
In August 2020, the FBI raided the homes of three men. Agents found several firearms, chemicals that could have been used to make an explosive device, and Nazi-themed books and videos, according to court documents.