By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


The bond hearing has been moved to later this week for a Livingston County man charged as part of the conspiracy to kidnap and possibly kill Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

24-year-old Ty Garbin of Hartland Township, along with 37-year-old Adam Fox of Potterville, were set to be in federal court in Grand Rapids this morning along with three other co-defendants, but had their hearings moved to Friday. A sixth man, 44-year-old Barry Croft of Delaware, is in custody and will face a hearing there later today. He could be transferred to Michigan soon.

Garbin’s home in the Hartland Meadows manufactured home community was raided by an FBI team last Wednesday as part of a series of raids across the state following an undercover investigation using confidential sources and clandestine recordings to foil the alleged kidnapping conspiracy. Some defendants, including Garbin, are alleged to have conducted coordinated surveillance of the Democratic governor’s vacation home in northern Michigan in August and September and openly discussed killing her as retaliation for what they called her “uncontrolled power” amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, in court in Grand Rapids today, an FBI agent testified that members of anti-government paramilitary groups discussed kidnapping Virginia’s governor during a June meeting in Ohio. Special Agent Richard Trask was part of the investigation that led to the charges.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Berens is overseeing the bail and detention proceeding for the other defendants; Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta — all Michigan residents.

Fox, who was described as one of the leaders, was living in the basement of a vacuum shop in Grand Rapids. The owner said Fox was opposed to wearing a mask during the pandemic and kept firearms and ammunition at the store.

The defendants face up to life in prison if convicted. Seven others linked to a domestic terrorist group called the Wolverine Watchmen were charged in state court for allegedly seeking to storm the Michigan Capitol and providing material support for terrorist acts by seeking a “civil war.”

The investigation is ongoing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.