Two Suspected Members of Turtle Island Liberation Front Plead Not Guilty in Southern California Bombing Case
Suspects in New Year’s Eve Bomb Plot Plead Not Guilty
LOS ANGELES – Two alleged members of an extremist splinter group have pleaded not guilty to charges concerning a coordinated bombing plot scheduled for New Year’s Eve across Southern California. Federal authorities claim the plot was aimed at "completely pulverizing" logistics centers in the region.
Audrey Carroll, 30, from South Los Angeles, and Zachary Aaron Page, 32, of Torrance, were arraigned in federal court on Monday, facing serious charges including conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction and providing material support to terrorists. Their arraignment follows accusations that they belong to a radical faction of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF).
Details from the indictment reveal the defendants were allegedly constructing explosive devices at a campsite near Twentynine Palms when FBI agents intervened on December 12, 2025. Authorities reported that the suspects were in the process of assembling pipe bombs with hazardous materials, including potassium nitrate and fuses.
According to prosecutors, the group communicated through encrypted platforms to avoid detection. The specifics of their alleged scheme were outlined in a document prepared by Carroll titled "Operation Midnight Sun," which reportedly included plans for bomb placements at various businesses.
While the exact names of the intended targets have not been disclosed, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli characterized them as "Amazon-type" logistical centers. Furthermore, the group had plans to target federal immigration agents in the months following the New Year’s Eve attack.
Carroll and Page’s plea comes alongside a broader investigation into potential connections to the extremist group. A recurring theme among group communications includes anti-capitalist and anti-government sentiments. One message allegedly sent by Page called for "death" to the U.S. and its allies, to which Carroll responded with shocking enthusiasm.
"The charges reflect the seriousness of the conduct: a planned terrorist attack on American soil on New Year’s Eve," said Essayli. "If convicted, this group will face decades in federal prison."
In a related development, a third defendant, 41-year-old Tina Lai from Glendale, pleaded not guilty to other related charges last week. A fourth suspect, Dante Gaffield, 24, is scheduled for arraignment on January 20, 2026.
While law enforcement successfully interrupted the New Year’s plot, investigations are ongoing, particularly regarding the recently arrested fifth member in New Orleans, which may indicate a wider network of threats.
