- A Michigan man pleaded guilty to plotting to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020.
- Kaleb Franks agreed to a conviction of kidnapping conspiracy, making him the second insider to plead guilty.
- Franks also agreed to testify against at least four others involved in the plot in trials next month.
A Michigan man pleaded guilty Wednesday to plotting to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer and agreed to testify against other suspects — shooting down claims from other defendants that the plot was an entrapment scheme by law enforcement.
Kaleb Franks agreed to a plea deal on Monday for one count of kidnapping conspiracy. The felony carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The 27-year-old said he conspired with at least five others to kidnap the governor, according to the plea deal.
According to the plea deal, Franks also agreed to appear in court next month to testify against four others also accused of plotting to kidnap the governor.
Franks is the second to plead guilty in this case, following acquaintance Ty Garbin who pleaded guilty last year and is now serving a six-year prison sentence, The Detriot News reported.
During his court appearance on Wednesday, Franks specifically said that the plan to kidnap the governor was their own, not planted by law enforcement, according to Detroit News reporter Robert Snell.
Other suspects in the case have claimed there was no plot and the idea of a conspiracy was fabricated by the FBI and informants, the Detroit News reported.
The conspiracy was riddled with FBI informants, with at least a dozen federal agents, according to BuzzFeed.
The plot was supposed to take place in 2020 during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when Whitmer faced pushback over restrictions and mask mandates designed to slow the spread of the virus.