Chicago Man Alexander Mercado Pleads Not Guilty in Plot to Attack UFC Event at the White House

A 20-year-old Chicago man broke down in tears Friday as he entered a not guilty plea in federal court, becoming the eighth person charged in connection with an alleged conspiracy to violently attack the UFC event held on the White House lawn earlier this month.

Alexander Iniguez Mercado was arrested Thursday and charged with obstruction of justice. Prosecutors allege he played a significant role in coordinating the plot — serving as an administrator of the alleged group — and then attempted to cover his tracks after federal agents came calling.

What Mercado Is Accused Of

According to a federal indictment, an FBI agent contacted Mercado by phone on June 13, the day before the planned attack, and asked whether he intended to travel to Washington, D.C. to participate. Mercado denied it. The indictment alleges that shortly afterward, Mercado stopped responding to follow-up calls and uninstalled the Signal encrypted messaging app from his phone — causing all messages related to the group's communications to be wiped from his device.

Prosecutors further allege that Mercado used Signal to contact a high-ranking co-conspirator still at large to warn them that federal investigators were closing in.

The Alleged Plot

The broader conspiracy, as described in previous indictments, was chilling in its detail. The alleged group planned to deploy drones to attack one side of the UFC event — held on the White House grounds — in order to drive attendees toward the opposite side, where co-conspirators armed with sniper rifles and other weapons would be positioned to open fire. Federal officials said the plot posed serious threats not only to the large crowd of spectators and athletes in attendance, but also to President Donald Trump and other government officials present at the event.

Mercado is the eighth individual charged in connection with the alleged group terror plot. The other seven were charged previously.

Prosecutors vs. Defense

During Friday's hearing, prosecutors argued Mercado should remain in custody ahead of trial, describing him as an administrator and recruiter within the group who had contacted an at-large co-conspirator and posed a risk of further obstruction. They also pointed to a prior domestic battery case from October 2025 — later dismissed — and his recent change of address as factors weighing against release.

The defense pushed back, arguing the dismissed case should carry no weight, that Mercado's housing situation is stable, and that the anonymous nature of the Signal platform means he likely did not know the identities of his alleged co-conspirators. His attorney characterized the situation as a misunderstanding, claiming someone in the group chat had made an offhand comment about survivalism and that Mercado panicked when the FBI reached out.

The presiding judge said he did not view Mercado's housing circumstances alone as evidence of a flight risk but found sufficient grounds to schedule a full detention hearing, set for June 30.

What Comes Next

The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge John Blakey. Mercado faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted on the obstruction of justice charge. A detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday will determine whether he remains behind bars while awaiting trial — a hearing that could set the tone for how aggressively prosecutors intend to pursue the case against Chicago's youngest charged defendant in the sweeping conspiracy.