Federal agents arrested 28‑year‑old ex‑Marine Micah James Legnon on Dec. 12 after surveillance linked him to online posts and alleged plans to "recreate" Waco in New Orleans. Authorities say they found firearms, body armor and training manuals during searches of his vehicle and apartment, and charged him with threats in interstate commerce. Investigators suspect Legnon has ties to the Turtle Island Liberation Front, and separate arrests in the Mojave Desert disrupted an alleged New Year’s Eve bomb plot in Southern California. The case is part of wider enforcement activity tied to the "Catahoula Crunch" operation in southeast Louisiana.
Plot to Attack New Orleans Foiled: Ex‑Marine Arrested En Route With Weapons, Authorities Say
This file photo shows a New Orleans police vehicle parked on the street on February 05, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. - Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images/File
Federal authorities say a planned attack in New Orleans was thwarted after an ex‑Marine was arrested while driving toward the city with firearms and body armor, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press.
Micah James Legnon, 28, was federally charged with threats in interstate commerce after agents who had been surveilling him — citing ties to an extremist, anti‑capitalist and anti‑government organization — moved to arrest him, officials said.
Authorities say the investigation into a possible attack on New Orleans intensified following the deployment of several hundred immigration agents to southeast Louisiana for an enforcement operation called "Catahoula Crunch," which officials say aims to make up to 5,000 arrests. Similar enforcement actions have taken place in Los Angeles, Chicago and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Online Threats and Evidence Seized
Court filings say Legnon posted in a group chat that it was time to "recreate" Waco — a reference to the 1993 siege near Waco, Texas — after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived in New Orleans. The post, dated Dec. 4, used the alias "Kateri The Witch" with "she/her" pronouns listed; jail records identify Legnon as male, according to the filings.
Investigators allege that eight days after the chat message, an FBI agent observed Legnon appearing to place a weapon into a vehicle. In the chat he later wrote "On my way," and shared a video of a firearm and a bulletproof vest with the caption "just incase," the court documents state.
Legnon was arrested on Dec. 12. Agents report finding an assault rifle, a pistol, a gas canister and body armor in the vehicle. A search of his New Iberia, Louisiana, apartment allegedly turned up sniper and SWAT training manuals, additional assault rifles and ammunition.
Broader Investigation and Related Arrests
Authorities say Legnon is suspected of association with the Turtle Island Liberation Front, described in court records as advocating "liberation through decolonization tribal sovereignty." Prosecutors have characterized the group as far‑left, pro‑Palestine, anti‑government and anti‑capitalist.
Separately, federal agents arrested four members of the same group in the Mojave Desert east of Los Angeles after the suspects allegedly rehearsed a disrupted plan to detonate multiple bombs across Southern California on New Year’s Eve. Court documents say one member drafted a plan to place backpacks rigged with complex pipe bombs to detonate simultaneously at midnight, and that at least two members discussed attacking ICE agents and vehicles in 2026.
Context and Legal Status
The filings did not list an attorney for Legnon. The Office of the State Public Defender and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana had not immediately responded to requests for comment, and jail officials said they did not know who might be representing him.
Authorities say the investigation links the recent arrests and disrupted plots to a broader effort to prevent violence tied to extremist activity and to ongoing immigration enforcement operations.
This report is based on court documents and statements from federal officials; the investigation is ongoing.
