The jury verdicts against Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta were read out in federal court in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in which the case was presided over by U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker. Jurors said they could not agree on verdicts against Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. Prosecutors described Fox as the leader of an anti-government group. Fox, Croft and Harris faced additional charges. The two most serious charges, the kidnapping conspiracy and the explosives conspiracy, both carry potential life sentences. Defense attorneys portrayed their clients as trustworthy weekend warriors prone to long, wild debates, which they often stoned. They said that FBI undercover agents and informants tricked and fooled the men into agreeing to a conspiracy. To counter this allegation of trapping, prosecutors provided evidence that the men were discussing Whitmer’s abduction before the FBI sting began. They went far beyond the discussion, including locating Whitmer’s cottage and testing explosives, prosecutors told jurors. Croft is from Delaware while the others are from Michigan.
