SANTA ANA (CNS) - A Florida man was behind bars Monday without bail on suspicion of taking part in a 2022 firebombing attack on a Costa Mesa clinic operated by Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Xavier Batten, 21, of Brooksville, Florida, was arrested by the FBI on Friday and was ordered held without bail.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, he is charged along with two previously identified defendants -- Tibet Ergul, 21, of Irvine, and 23-year-old Chance Brannon of San Juan Capistrano. Brannon is an active-duty Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton. Both defendants were arrested June 14 on suspicion of using an explosive or fire to damage real property affecting interstate commerce which carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. They are both scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning.
Ergul and Brannon are accused of igniting and a throwing a Molotov cocktail at the clinic entrance during the early morning hours of March 13, 2022. Security video captured the attack. Batten is accused of advising and directing Brannon on how to build the Molotov cocktail.
All three defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of malicious destruction of property by fire and explosion. Brannon and Ergul are both also charged with one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device and one misdemeanor count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility, which is a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, prosecutors said.
"The violent and reckless attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic alleged in the indictment is intolerable," U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said. "This indictment shows that federal law enforcement will work diligently to uncover and hold accountable those who plan and carry out violent extremist acts against others."
The conspiracy and malicious destruction charges each carry a sentence of five to 20 years in federal prison, prosecutors said. The charge of possession of an unregistered destructive device is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison. The intentional damage to a reproductive health facility charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in federal prison.