Prairieland ICE Attack Ringleader Sentenced to 100 Years in Prison

The man prosecutors called the ringleader of the Prairieland ICE Detention Center attack in Alvarado, Texas has been sentenced to 100 years in federal prison.

Benjamin "Champagne" Song was found guilty of attempted murder of officers and employees at the facility.

What Happened at Prairieland on July 4, 2025

The attack took place on July 4, 2025 at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, south of Fort Worth in Johnson County.

Federal prosecutors alleged that a group of individuals connected to Antifa planned and carried out a coordinated attack on the facility. Supporters of the defendants have maintained that the group originally went to the facility to set off fireworks and show support for detainees, and that gunfire broke out after the situation escalated.

Body camera footage previously reported by WFAA showed the sequence of events leading up to the shooting. Attorneys for the defendants argued they had no connection to Antifa and disputed the domestic terrorism framing throughout the prosecution.

📰 Related: Karmelo Anthony Sentenced to 35 Years

The Sentences Handed Down

Song received 100 years in prison, the longest sentence among those sentenced Tuesday.

Autumn Hill and Zachary Evetts each received 50-year prison terms. All three were among seven people previously convicted on terrorism charges arising from the attack.

According to WFAA's sentencing coverage, five others in the group also received sentences Tuesday, though the specific terms for those five were not immediately reported by the time of filing.

📰 Related: Judge Orders Teen in Royal Caribbean Cruise Killing to Remain Jailed

The Appeal That Failed

Nine of the convicted defendants had filed motions to overturn their convictions before sentencing, claiming the government presented insufficient evidence to support the terrorism charges.

Those appeals were denied, and the case proceeded to sentencing.

The convictions and sentences represent the conclusion of one of the more politically charged federal terrorism prosecutions in recent years, following significant debate over how to classify the incident — and over whether the evidence supported convictions for domestic terrorism as opposed to lesser charges related to the confrontation itself.

📰 Related: Supreme Court Rejects Carter Page Bid to Revive James Comey Lawsuit Over FBI Surveillance

What the Prosecution Argued

Federal prosecutors labeled the incident domestic terrorism and maintained throughout the case that the group planned and coordinated the attack in advance. The domestic terrorism designation carries significantly greater sentencing exposure than standard assault or weapons charges.

First Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas previously said the evidence showed the attack was not spontaneous. Song's 100-year sentence reflects the attempted murder conviction on top of the terrorism charges.

Key Takeaways

• Benjamin "Champagne" Song was sentenced to 100 years in federal prison for attempted murder of officers and employees at Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas.

• Autumn Hill and Zachary Evetts each received 50-year sentences. They and five others were convicted on terrorism charges.

• The attack took place on July 4, 2025. Federal prosecutors alleged it was a planned attack by individuals connected to Antifa; defense attorneys disputed that characterization.

• Nine defendants filed motions to overturn their convictions before sentencing, arguing insufficient evidence — all were denied.

• Sentences were handed down after one of the most politically contested federal terrorism prosecutions in recent US history.

Sources

• WFAA — Ringleader Sentenced to 100 Years for Prairieland ICE Attack

• WFAA — Body Cam Video Shows Prairieland ICE Attack

• WFAA — Nine Defendants File to Overturn Convictions

Also Read

• Karmelo Anthony Sentenced to 35 Years

• Supreme Court Rejects Carter Page Bid to Revive James Comey Lawsuit Over FBI Surveillance

• Judge Orders Teen in Royal Caribbean Cruise Killing to Remain Jailed