Two men who co-founded a militia group have been convicted of attempting to murder federal agents ahead of a trip to Texas where they intended to shoot people attempting to cross the US-Mexico border.
Jonathan S O’Dell, 34, of Warsaw, Missouri, and Bryan C Perry, 39, of Clarksville, Tennessee, also planned to shoot any federal agents who tried to stop them as they targeted migrants, according to the prosecution.
A jury at the US district court in Missouri deliberated for more than two hours before finding them guilty of more than 30 felony counts each, the chief federal prosecutor for western Missouri, Teresa Moore, announced Friday.
They both face at least 10 years in prison, and possibly life.
The two men formed the 2nd Amendment Militia and then in the summer and fall of 2022 tried to recruit others to join them, prosecutors said. In September 2022, O’Dell’s home became a staging site as the two men collected firearms, ammunition, paramilitary gear and other supplies, according to the government’s evidence.
Prosecutors said Perry posted a TikTok video in September saying that their militia group was going to “go protect this country”, and another in early October saying the group would be “out huntin’”. Prosecutors said the two men viewed US Border Patrol agents as traitors for allowing immigrants to cross into Texas.
The day before they planned to leave for Texas, an FBI team using an armored vehicle served a search warrant on O’Dell’s home, and prosecutors said Perry fired 11 rifle shots at them. O’Dell and his girlfriend surrendered, but after exiting the house, Perry fought with agents.
The charges against the two men also included using a firearm in a violent crime, illegal gun possession and damaging federal property. Perry couldn’t legally have a gun because in 2004, he pled guilty in Tennessee to a felony aggravated robbery charge and served about four years in prison, according to online records.
Perry had also pled guilty to three charges, including escaping from federal custody. He escaped in September 2023 as he was being held for trial in a county jail in Rolla, Missouri, but was captured two days later and about 160 miles (258 km) to the north-west, outside Kansas City, following a high-speed chase.
O’Dell’s attorney, Jonathan Truesdale, declined comment. Perry’s attorney, Thomas Kirsch, said his client plans to appeal the verdict. Kirsch said Perry is disappointed in the verdict but said he is grateful for jurors’ dedication and the opportunity to exercise “his fundamental right” of trial by jury.
