By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


One of six men accused of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is returning to court next week for a possible plea deal with prosecutors.

Ty Garbin of Hartland Township is scheduled for a change-of-plea hearing Wednesday, according to a notice filed by U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker.

Messages seeking comment from Garbin’s attorneys weren’t immediately returned Thursday. Prosecutors declined to comment.

Garbin was arrested October 7th after an FBI team raided his home in the Hartland Meadows manufactured home community. Authorities say the raid was one of several as they broke up the plot to kidnap Whitmer by anti-government extremists upset over her coronavirus restrictions. Six people, including Garbin, were charged in federal court in Grand Rapids while eight others were charged in state court with aiding the alleged scheme.

The indictment stated that, "At one point, several members talked about state governments they believed were violating the U.S. Constitution, including the government of Michigan and Governor Gretchen Whitmer." It was at that meeting that the indictment says Garbin suggested "shooting up" Whitmer's vacation home in northern Michigan, later saying "he was 'cool' with going after the governor’s vacation home, however, even if it only resulted in destruction of property."

An FBI affidavit stated that the group met for training on property Garbin owns in Luther, which is located in Lake County. It's alleged they conducted surveillance of the governor's vacation home near Elk Rapids on at least two occasions in late August and September. Authorities say Garbin, using emoticons in a text message, suggested demolishing a nearby bridge in order to slow up a response by police to the governor's home.

Attorney Mark Satawa has said Garbin had no intention to carry out a kidnapping, no matter what he might have said in recorded or online conversations. A “big talk” defense had emerged last fall as a strategy for the six men.

“Saying things like, ‘I hate the governor, the governor is tyrannical’ ... is not illegal, even if you’re holding a gun and running around the woods when you do it,” Satawa said in October.

The other defendants are Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta. A trial has been scheduled for March 23.