DETROIT (AP) 鈥� A man charged in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has agreed to plead guilty, according to documents filed Monday, giving prosecutors a second insider who could be a key witness at a March trial.
Kaleb Franks said he willfully conspired with five other men to kidnap the Democratic governor before in October 2020. The government said they wanted to kidnap Whitmer because of their disgust over her COVID-19 restrictions.
Franks said he 鈥渨as not entrapped or induced to commit any crimes鈥� by undercover agents or informants. He signed a document agreeing to plead guilty as charged.
Ty Garbin pleaded guilty in 2021 and was .
Franks acknowledged that he was deeply involved in the scheme, which included outdoor training with firearms in Wisconsin and Michigan and scouting Whitmer's second home in northern Michigan.
In August 2020, less than two months before their arrest, Franks said he and a co-defendant 鈥渄iscussed their frustration with people who advocated anti-government action but were unwilling to use force themselves.鈥�
The plea deal suggests Franks, like Garbin, could offer crucial testimony against the four remaining defendants at the March 8 trial in Grand Rapids. While there is no agreement on the length of his prison sentence, Franks could be rewarded if he 鈥渕aterially and substantially assists鈥� the government.
A message seeking comment from Franks' attorney wasn't immediately returned.
When the kidnapping case was filed in 2020, it added even more heat to the final weeks of a tumultuous election season.
Whitmer on then-President Donald Trump, saying his refusal to denounce far-right groups had inspired extremists across the country. Trump had earlier urged supporters from stay-at-home mandates.
Ed White, The Associated Press
