Tennessee Militia Member Arrested for Planning Violent Conflict at the Southern Border

The recent arrest of a Tennessee militia member, Paul Faye, has raised concerns about potential violent conflicts at the southern border. According to a criminal complaint filed by federal prosecutors in Nashville, Faye was planning to travel to the southern border with a stockpile of weapons and commit acts of violence against federal border agents.

Faye, a resident of Cunningham, Tennessee, was arrested on Monday, February 7, 2024, by the FBI on charges of selling an unregistered firearm suppressor (silencer). He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted on the charge. Faye is scheduled to appear in federal court on February 12, 2024, for a detention hearing.

The complaint revealed that Faye had attracted the attention of federal investigators due to his extensive contact with Bryan C. Perry, a Tennessee militia member who was planning a violent conflict with Border Patrol agents before his arrest in 2022. Perry, of Clarksville, Tennessee, has been charged with conspiring to kill federal agents. Federal investigators alleged that Perry tried to recruit members to his militia to travel to the border to shoot migrants and federal agents. Perry reportedly fired at FBI agents who traveled to Missouri to arrest him in October 2022.

Faye had intended to travel to the border with Perry before Perry’s arrest. However, the complaint did not identify the militia or militias Faye is accused of being associated with.

A public defender representing Faye did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment on the matter.

The complaint stated that Faye had a stockpile of weapons at his Tennessee home and told a person working undercover for the FBI that he had a substance known as Tannerite, which can be used to make land mines. Faye told the undercover agent during an initial meeting in March 2023 that he believed the U.S. government “was training to take on its citizens” and purposely allowing migrants to cross the border “to help the government.”

In a May 2023 phone call, Faye told the agent that “the patriots are going to rise up because we are being invaded,” alluding to migrants crossing the southern border. Faye also said he planned to take explosives to the border and serve as a sniper with a militia group traveling there.

In mid-December 2023, Faye told an undercover agent during an in-person meeting that he “discussed coordinating with militia groups from Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.” Faye stated that his hope was “to stir up the hornet’s nest” at the border so that others would come in to provide further support. Specifically, Faye stated, “Well, I’m going to tell you … what’s going to happen. What I hope happens. Is called a domino effect. I want, I want the news to find out about it. The right kind of news.”

Faye invited the undercover agent to his home on January 11, 2024, where the agent saw Faye’s cache of weapons, ammunition, and a bulletproof vest. During that meeting, he discussed the plan to travel to the U.S./Mexico border and indicated the desire to commit acts of violence.

Faye later sold the undercover agent an unregistered firearms suppressor with no serial number for $100.

The arrest of Faye comes at a time when immigration issues continue to be a contentious topic in the United States. The Biden administration has been working on a border deal to address the influx of migrants, but opposition from the GOP has threatened its success. The failure of the border deal could lead to further tensions and potential conflicts at the border.

The arrest of Faye and his alleged plans to commit acts of violence against federal agents highlight the need for continued vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the public to prevent potential violent conflicts at the southern border.

In conclusion, the arrest of Paul Faye, a Tennessee militia member, on charges of planning to travel to the southern border with weapons and commit acts of violence against federal agents, raises concerns about potential violent conflicts at the border. The complaint revealed that Faye had been in contact with Bryan C. Perry, a Tennessee militia member who was planning a violent conflict with Border Patrol agents before his arrest in 2022. Faye’s arrest comes at a time when immigration issues continue to be a contentious topic in the United States, and the failure of the border deal could lead to further tensions and potential conflicts at the border. The need for continued vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the public to prevent potential violent conflicts at the southern border cannot be overstated.