Florida Man Receives 3.5-Year Prison Sentence For Firebombing Planned Parenthood Clinic In OC
DEBARYLIFE – A Florida man, 21, was given a three-and-a-half-year sentence in federal prison on Monday for his involvement in the construction of a Molotov cocktail intended to attack a Costa Mesa Planned Parenthood clinic with the help of two men.
In January, Xavier Batten entered a guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of purposely causing damage to a reproductive health services facility and a felony charge of possessing an unregistered destructive weapon. In addition, he was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and serve three years on probation by U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney.
Carney claimed that Batten had committed a “cowardly crime” and had no regard for the rights of women. From July 2023, Batten has been held by the federal government.
According to the Justice Department, in 2022, Batten collaborated with 24-year-old San Juan Capistrano resident Chance Brannon, a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton, to do damage to the facility.
According to the authorities, Brannon and Tibet Ergul, 22, of Irvine, constructed the Molotov cocktail in Ergul’s garage.
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“Batten, who was in Florida at the time, helped Brannon by advising him on how to build the Molotov cocktail, knowing Brannon intended to use the device to firebomb a reproductive health clinic,” the Department of Justice stated in a statement.
On March 13, 2022, Ergul and Brannon attacked the clinic by hurling a Molotov cocktail at the door. Due to the building damage, the clinic had to temporarily close, which meant that the medical personnel had to reschedule at least thirty appointments.
“Within minutes of firebombing the clinic, Brannon texted Batten to inform him that their plan had been successful and Batten congratulated Brannon on his success,” the Department of Justice stated.
Batten has “a history of threatening to commit mass shootings and his communications and internet searches reflect a violent and racially motivated ideology,” according to the prosecution’s sentencing brief.
“[Batten’s] willingness to help his codefendants firebomb a healthcare clinic from afar, without being present to check for people or control the circumstances, reflects a seeming apathy to whether anyone would be hurt or killed as a result of his tutelage,” the prosecution argued.
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For his part in the attack and for organizing other attacks, such as ones on the Orange County power grid, another at Dodger Stadium during a Pride celebration, and home invasions of Jewish homes in Los Angeles, Brannon was sentenced to nine years in federal prison last month.
One count of conspiracy, one count of malicious property destruction by fire and explosives, one count of possessing an unregistered destructive device, and one count of purposefully causing damage to a reproductive health services facility in violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act were all accepted by Brannon’s guilty plea in November 2023.
On February 29, Ergul entered a guilty plea to one misdemeanor count of purposeful damage to a reproductive health services institution and one felony count of conspiracy to harm an energy facility.
On May 30, he is scheduled to be sentenced.