Nashville, Tennessee – A man from Cunningham, Tennessee, was arrested on Monday for allegedly planning a violent attack against federal agents at the U.S.-Mexico border with the assistance of multiple militia groups. The individual, identified as Paul Faye, has been charged with possessing, selling, or transferring an unregistered firearm after a nearly yearlong undercover investigation in Nashville.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Nashville, Faye intended to “stir up the hornet’s nest” at the border and coordinate the attack with militia groups from Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. His goal was to incite a “domino effect” of violence by attracting others to the border to support his efforts. Faye also expressed the desire for “the right kind of news” to report on the planned attack.
Faye’s belief that the U.S. government was training to take on its citizens, along with his perception of an invasion, were cited in the complaint. He allegedly spoke to an undercover individual, expressing that “patriots are going to rise up because we are being invaded.” Furthermore, he detailed his plan to serve as a sniper and mentioned a contact who could produce explosives.
During an in-person meeting at his home, Faye showed a “war room” containing numerous firearms, a large quantity of ammunition, radios, and a bulletproof vest. He also sold an unregistered silencer to an undercover agent, leading to his arrest this week.
A public defender listed as representing Faye did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Authorities were first alerted to Faye after the arrest of another Tennessee man, Bryan Perry, who faces multiple charges for a similar plot to travel to the border and commit acts of violence against Border Patrol agents and migrants. Perry had communicated with Faye, expressing a desire to travel to the border with him and commit violent acts, authorities said. Perry and another individual were arrested following a shootout with federal authorities and are currently being held without bond.