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Virginia Assistant Principal and Brother Accused in Alleged Plot Against ICE Agents; Attorneys Call Claims an Overreach

A Virginia assistant principal, John Wilson Bennett, and his brother, Mark Booth Bennett, were reportedly overheard discussing plans to kill ICE officers, sparking a federal investigation after an off-duty Norfolk officer alerted authorities on Nov. 17. Mark was arrested at Norfolk International Airport on Nov. 19; John was arrested the same day in Virginia Beach. Both men face federal charges of conspiracy to commit malicious wounding, were released on bond and placed on home confinement. Their attorneys call the allegations uncorroborated and say Mark planned a trip to a Formula 1 race, not to buy weapons. The case remains under federal investigation as pretrial proceedings continue.

01:49 AM, 11/29/2025Security
Virginia Assistant Principal and Brother Accused in Alleged Plot Against ICE Agents; Attorneys Call Claims an Overreach

Federal authorities say a Virginia assistant high school principal, John Wilson Bennett, and his brother, Mark Booth Bennett, were overheard discussing plans to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, prompting a federal investigation. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the probe after an off-duty Norfolk police officer reported hearing the conversation on Nov. 17.

Officials allege Mark Bennett said he planned to meet "likeminded individuals" in Las Vegas to purchase firearms and ammunition described by investigators as capable of explosive impact. Authorities say Mark Bennett was arrested at Norfolk International Airport on Nov. 19 while he awaited a flight with a layover in Charlotte, N.C.; his brother John, an assistant principal at Kempsville High School, was arrested the same day at a residence in Virginia Beach.

“It’s chilling that a human being, much less a child educator, would plot to ambush and kill ICE law enforcement officers — offering such specifics as to getting a high caliber rifle that would pierce the law enforcements’ bullet proof vests,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a DHS statement.

Both men were charged federally with conspiracy to commit malicious wounding. Court records show they were released on bond at a Nov. 23 hearing and placed on home confinement under pretrial supervision.

The Bennetts’ attorneys have disputed the government's account. Mark Bennett’s lawyer, William "Happy" O’Brien, called the charges a "gross overreach by the government" and described the case as based on "incredibly flimsy, circumstantial information" from an off-duty officer who was sitting several booths away. O'Brien said his client intends to plead not guilty and maintained that Mark was traveling to Las Vegas for a Formula 1 race paid for by his adult son, not to acquire weapons.

Defense lawyers also contend the conversation amounts to hearsay and that their clients do not pose a danger to the community. Federal authorities maintain the recorded statements and related evidence provide probable cause for the conspiracy charges. The matter remains under federal investigation as pretrial proceedings continue.

What to watch next

Upcoming pretrial hearings and any disclosures by prosecutors or defense counsel will clarify the nature of the evidence, including whether additional corroboration exists beyond the reported overheard conversation.

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