A U.S. Marine and another man were arrested Wednesday morning and accused of firebombing a Planned Parenthood clinic in Southern California last year.
Federal prosecutors announced the arrests of Chance Brannon, a 23-year-old active duty Marine, and 21-year-old Tibet Ergul for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the entrance of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa on March 13, 2022. They were charged with using an explosive or fire to damage real property affecting interstate commerce.
Prosecutors said that security footage showed Ergul and Brannon at the Planned Parenthood facility at 1 a.m. disguised in hooded sweatshirts and face masks and throwing the explosive device, which spread up the wall and across the ceiling. The fire forced the clinic to close for a morning and cancel about 30 appointments, authorities said.
United States District Court for Central District California
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“The depraved act of launching an improvised explosive device into a public facility put lives at risk and will not be tolerated,” Donald Alway, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said in the statement.
The two face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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