Men convicted of supporting Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot given lengthy prison sentences
CBSNov 27, 2022
The Facts
Adam Fox, described by federal prosecutors in Grand Rapids, Mich., as a militia member and leader of a plot to kidnap Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Tuesday, the longest sentence yet for anyone involved in the high-profile domestic terrorism case.
After a hung jury in his first trial, Fox, 39, was convicted in August alongside Barry Croft Jr. on charges of kidnapping conspiracy and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Croft will be sentenced on Wednesday.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Both the conviction and sentence of Adam Fox and his so-called co-conspirators have been blown way out of proportion. Given that two other suspects in the case have already been acquitted, coupled with the fact that undercover FBI agents encouraged, coordinated, assisted, and funded various parts of the scheme, it's clear that if it weren't for the Feds, this "kidnapping plot" would never have occurred.
Pro-establishment narrative
After a jury of Adam Fox's peers heard arguments and evidence from both sides, it rightfully decided to convict him of plotting a violent kidnapping attempt against the governor of Michigan. While on the surface, entrapment may seem to be a sound argument, the reality is that the FBI didn't plant the seed, and the prosecution proved that the defendant was predisposed to commit the crime.
