Federal authorities have disrupted a potential attack in New Orleans after arresting 28-year-old Micah James Legnon, a former New Iberia police officer and U.S. Marine. Legnon was intercepted by the FBI and local deputies on December 12, 2025, as he was allegedly traveling toward New Orleans with an assault rifle, a handgun, a gas canister, and tactical body armor.
The arrest is part of a broader federal investigation into the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), an anti-government extremist group. Documents filed in the Western District of Louisiana allege that Legnon made violent threats online, referencing the 1993 Waco siege as inspiration for attacking federal agents. While currently charged with making threats in interstate commerce, legal experts anticipate additional charges of attempted terrorism and firearms violations.
This investigation also links to a separate, coordinated plot in Southern California, where four individuals were recently charged with planning to detonate pipe bombs on New Year’s Eve. Authorities state that Legnon’s actions and the recovered materials—which included sniper and SWAT training manuals found at his residence—point toward a significant threat that was neutralized just days before the planned execution.
