Nashville, Tennessee – A Tennessee man was taken into custody on Monday for allegedly conspiring to carry out a violent attack against federal agents at the U.S.-Mexico border with the assistance of various militia groups. Paul Faye of Cunningham faces charges of possessing, selling or transferring an unregistered firearm after a nearly yearlong undercover investigation in Nashville, according to a criminal complaint.
Faye reportedly expressed his desire to incite violence at the border in collaboration with militia groups from Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. He hoped that the resulting chaos would lead to a “domino effect,” drawing others to join his cause, according to the complaint.
The accused also expressed his intentions to attract media attention to the planned attack, stating that he wanted “the right kind of news” to report on it. He believed that the U.S. government was training to confront its citizens, using migrants crossing the border as part of its strategy.
During an undercover meeting last month, Faye displayed his “war room,” which contained numerous firearms, a large amount of ammunition, radios, and a bulletproof vest. He was also alleged to have sold an unregistered silencer to an undercover agent for $100, leading to his arrest this week.
Faye also divulged details of his plot, describing his role as a sniper and mentioning his acquaintance who could create explosives.
The arrest of Faye came following the apprehension of Bryan Perry of Clarksville, who faces numerous charges for allegedly planning to travel to the border to shoot Border Patrol agents and migrants crossing into the U.S. Investigators discovered that Perry had been in communication with Faye, expressing his desire to travel with Faye and another person to the border to commit acts of violence.
Perry, along with Jonathan O’Dell of Missouri, who was arrested with him following a shootout with federal authorities, are both being held without bond.