One of the men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was rejected his bid to be released on bail, this Friday.
Ty Garbin was arrested for allegedly scheming to kidnap Whitmer from her upstate Michigan vacation home, including scouting her home at night with his associates over the weekend of Sept. 12 and 13.
Garbin, according to feds is a member of a shadowy militia group called the Wolverine Watchmen, and one of 14 men arrested on state and federal charges for the ruined plot, which also alternately called for allegedly storming the capital and kidnapping officials, including the governor.
Defense lawyer Mark Satawa asked a judge to release Garbin on bond to his home with electronic monitoring and supervision from his parents — including his military veteran father, citing that his client is an upstanding member of the community.
Satawa justified for his client, “He is not a crack pot. He had a job. He was an airline mechanic making $28 an hour. He owned property in the district”.
Prosecutors pointed out the fact that Garbin had participated in recon of the governor’s home, was active in group messages planning the kidnapping and other violent schemes, had a large number of guns and participated in field training exercises all prove that he’s a danger to the community and should be put in jail. Satawa defended by saying he himself owns 15 guns.
This was countered by Federal judge Sally Berens who said the prosecutors are worried about the purpose of possession of those guns was illegal, even though they were licensed.
“This is not theoretical danger. The fact that he was involved in casing the governor’s house at night indicates the seriousness with which he took this endeavor,” Berens said while denying Garbin’s request for home detention.
Among the other accused, Adam Fox didn’t seek release, while co-conspirators Daniel Harris, Kaleb Franks and Brandon Caserta were denied bond earlier this week. A sixth man, Brian Croft is also charged , and is awaiting transfer from Delaware to Michigan. Another man from Wisconsin, Brian Higgins was charged in the state case with material support of an act of terrorism.