Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnap plot defendant pleads guilty, faces up to 20 years

An exhibit released by the U.S. Attorneys office following a two-day hearing for several men charged in a plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (Courtesy: U.S. Attorneys Office)

Shawn Fix, 40, of Belleville, is the ninth of 14 charged defendants to be convicted of crimes related to the alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020.

Three others are awaiting trial and two have been acquitted.

Fix on Wednesday, June 7, pleaded guilty in Antrim County Circuit Court to a count of providing material support for terrorism, a crime is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dismissed a weapons felony that carried a two-year mandatory sentence.

Fix previously entered a not-guilty plea to both charges.

He is accused of "attending tactical trainings, hosting a meeting, contributing to planning and assisting in identifying the governor's vacation home" on Birch Lake in Michigan's norther lower peninsula, according to the charging affidavit submitted by Michigan state police.

Fix claimed to be a former U.S. Navy Seal with a secret cache of weapons, ammo and access to a Black Hawk military helicopter, FBI Special Agent Henrik Impola testified at a preliminary hearing in August. But "he's never been in the Navy," Impola said in court.

Fix's Antrim County co-defendants Eric Molitor, 39, of Cadillac; and 41-year-old twin brothers Michael and William Null, of Plainwell and Shelbyville, respectively, are each awaiting trial on charges of providing material support for terrorist acts, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, punishable by a mandatory two years in prison. The trial, expected to last 15 days, is set to begin Aug. 21.

Fix is expected to be sentenced following the trial, the Attorney General's Office said.

Antrim County defendant Brian Higgins, 54, of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty March 15 to attempting to provide material support for terrorism, punishable by up to five years in prison, and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed a count of providing material support for terrorist acts, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Nine other defendants were charged in connection to the kidnap plot, including three in Jackson County and six in Grand Rapids U.S. District Court.

After being found guilty in a jury trial, Jackson County Circuit Judge Thomas Wilson on Dec. 15 sentenced Pete Musico of Munith to a minimum of 12 years in prison; Joseph Morrison of Munith to a minimum of 10 years in prison; and Paul Bellar of Milford to a minimum of seven years in prison.

After being convicted of conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction during a second jury trial – the first ended with a hung jury – a U.S. District judge sentenced Barry Croft Jr. of Bear, Delaware, to nearly 20 years in prison and Adam Fox of Wyoming, Michigan, to 16 years.

Jurors acquitted Brandon Caserta of Canton and Daniel Harris of Lake Orion at a federal trial.

Kaleb Frank of Waterford and Ty Garbin of Livingston County each pleaded guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to kidnap and cooperated with investigators. Franks was sentenced to four years in prison while Garbin, the first to plead guilty, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison.

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnap plot defendant pleads guilty, faces up to 20 years