Alleged “Red Legs” member charged with having Molotov Cocktails

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man suspected as being part of a violent extremist group is scheduled to appear before a federal judge after being charged through criminal complaint in Kansas City, Kansas, for illegally possessing explosive devices. 

According to court documents, Jarred G. Gilliam, 31, of Kansas City, Kansas, is charged with possessing destructive devices.

The exact starting date is unknown, but from about June 3, 2025, and continuing until about June 3, 2026, Gilliam is accused of having three destructive devices commonly known as Molotov Cocktails.  

According to court documents, Gilliam is a suspected member of Red Legs, a group which promotes committing violent attacks on government agencies and the military. Gilliam is accused of using an encrypted messaging application to communicate with other suspected Red Legs members to plan assaults using incendiary devices. The proposed targets include local and federal government entities and property, particularly U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Missouri National Guard, and political groups.

According to the complaint against Gilliam, the following are communications sent through the messaging app:

• “If ice moves to kc, thoughts on an armed response”
• “It wouldn’t make sense to panic now, the time for panicking has long passed. Now we must make our peace, arm ourselves, and prepare to do what is necessary”
• “After we build our ranks and adequately arm ourselves, we can look into escalation”
• “I recommend we start slow at first. Maybe some basic sabotage… We should locate abandoned warehouses where we could potentially secure seized armor… First, we need to find a way to track military shipments, we don’t want to derail the wrong train”
• “What are the chances we could get away with using drones to drop incendiary’s [sic] to demolish key infrastructure”
• “I like the idea of using drones carrying cocktails to demolish key structures…Frozen water areas.”

The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance Monday, June 8, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Jennifer B. Wieland of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.

During this investigation, several other alleged Red Legs members were identified including Lake Ethan Roberts, 26, of Kansas City, Missouri, who is being federally prosecuted for possession of unregistered destructive devices by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Koreatown Man Charged with Throwing Two Molotov Cocktails Inside Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – A Koreatown man was charged today with throwing Molotov cocktails at security officers inside a federal building in downtown Los Angeles, an attack law enforcement believes was motivated by anti-immigration enforcement sentiment.

Jose Francisco Jovel, 54, was arrested Monday and is charged with attempted malicious damage of federal property.

Jovel is expected to make his initial appearance on Wednesday in United States District Court in Los Angeles.

“This case exemplifies how misleading and hateful rhetoric against federal law enforcement can and does result in violence,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Irresponsible rhetoric by politicians and activists have real-world consequences. It must stop.”

“There can be zero tolerance for any targeting of law enforcement officials – let alone violent acts – and we’re lucky that the devices allegedly thrown by the subject did not physically injure anyone,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is dedicated to investigating and holding accountable anyone who conducts targeted attacks against government employees.”

According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Jovel – who hours earlier had set his Koreatown apartment on fire after receiving an eviction notice – arrived Monday morning at the Federal Building, located in the Civic Center of downtown Los Angeles. Jovel arrived outside the building with multiple shopping bags. The Federal Building houses offices for several federal agencies, including United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

While standing at the base of the stairs outside the building’s main entrance, Jovel reached into one of the bags on his bicycle’s handlebars and then threw a Molotov cocktail through the building’s sliding door, which was open at the time, and is marked as an employee entrance.

Jovel then threw another Molotov cocktail through the then-open door of the Federal Building’s public entrance, where a line of members of the public were waiting to go through security to enter the building.

Evidence collected from the scene, including surveillance video, indicates Jovel attempted to light at least one of the devices.

Federal officers immediately arrested Jovel then searched the bags he brought with him, which included a lighter and five additional Molotov cocktails. During his arrest, Jovel said he was motivated by his anger at the federal government of its immigration policies and actions.

Jovel described his actions as “a terrorist attack” and said to the officers, “you’re separating families” – a remark commonly made by opponents of current United States government immigration policies. He then yelled for people to “start shooting these,” referring to the officers.

A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

If convicted, Jovel would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

The FBI is investigating this matter with assistance from the Federal Protective Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Jenna W. Long of the National Security Division is prosecuting this case.