Caleb said in his audition video: "I kind of just lost myself and writing songs . Franks was scheduled to stand trial March 8 in federal court in Grand Rapids alongside four others. 2023 www.freep.com. Franks also testified that he spoke to his co-defendants individually about the kidnap plan, and that they all were on board with it. Kaleb Franks, whose friends call him "Red Hot," had been denied bond at his arraignment weeks ago. "The pressure is really on the defendants. I dont care., On October 8, 2020, he, Garbin, Caserta, Harris and Fox were charged in federal court in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Second Whitmer kidnapping suspect pleads guilty to conspiracy charges This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The defendant understood they were using encrypted communications to conceal discussion of illegal activity from law enforcement, the plea deal reads. He said Franks, who went by the moniker "Red Hot" on encrypted group chats,is a former addict who has turned his life around and remained sober since he went to jail for a short stint in 2013 or 2014. Kaleb Franks pleaded guilty to conspiracy. The defense will cross examine Franks on Friday morning. If Dan Chappel was truly pushing the so-called "leaders" to plan and act, it could go a long way in convincing jurors that the men were truly entrapped. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020 were very eager to move forward and fully onboard with the plan, two key witnesses testified Wednesday. 2nd man pleads guilty in alleged 2020 plot to kidnap Whitmer More recently, evidence showed he was involved in procuring illegal weapons, Kessler said. Croft proposed bombing Michigan State Police posts, according to the filing. The prosecution estimates they could rest their case as soon as the end of next week but there are still several more witnesses to get through. Franks also told investigators that Fox was a LARPer (Live Action Role Player), and liked "make believe". We need to be honest and clear about what causes violence by extremists and do all we can to address the root cause of it. Copyright 2020 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. He. Militia Scrapped Plan to Storm Michigan Capitol, Favored - Newsweek Accused Gov. Whitmer kidnapping plotter, a recovered addict - mlive Three of the men, Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., and Daniel Joseph Harris, were later hit with weapons of mass destruction charges over an alleged plan to detonate a bomb under a bridge near Whitmers vacation home to distract authorities. Though Franks was not charged with the weapons of mass destruction conspiracy, his plea agreement implicates his co-defendants in it. Learn how your comment data is processed.