Washington The FBI arrested a suspected supporter of the extremist Boogaloo movement in Maryland on Wednesday, court records show.
Frank William Robertson Perry was taken into custody by FBI agents and charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, according to court documents.
The case is especially notable in light of Thursday’s announcement of a foiled kidnapping plot against Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Several of the group members plotting against Whitmer were supporters of the group, a law enforcement source has told CNN.
There is no known connection between the Michigan plot and Perry’s case.
While executing a search warrant at Perry’s residence, agents seized items including an assault rifle, a tactical vest with ballistic plates and ammunition, according to the criminal complaint.
The FBI determined Perry’s suspected adherence to the Boogaloo movement based on information listed on his Facebook page, as well as from a sticker on his vehicle, an FBI agent wrote in a search warrant affidavit.
The complaint notes that a 2002 criminal burglary conviction bars Perry from legally possessing a firearm.
CNN is attempting to identify Perry’s attorney for comment.
According to a Justice Department spokesperson, Perry’s initial court appearance is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET Friday and will likely be done remotely due to pandemic-related precautions.
As CNN has previously reported, the Boogaloos are an emerging incarnation of extremism that seems to defy easy categorization. Boogaloo members appear to hold conflicting ideological views with some identifying as anarchists and others rejecting formal titles. Some pockets of the group have espoused white supremacy while others reject it.
Earlier this year, following the nation-wide racial justice protests after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, authorities say a suspect with alleged ties to the Boogaloo movement killed two law enforcement officers in California.
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