- Tennessee militia member arrested for selling unregistered firearm suppressor and planning violence at the southern border against federal agents.
- Investigation into the suspect was prompted by his contact with another militia member arrested for conspiring to kill federal agents.
- Suspect believed government was training to take on citizens and wanted to “stir up the hornet’s nest” at the border with explosives and sniper support.
Additional Coverage:
A Tennessee militia member, Paul Faye, has been arrested after a yearlong investigation by the FBI. He has been charged with selling an unregistered firearm suppressor and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Faye had plans to travel to the southern border with a stockpile of weapons and commit acts of violence against federal border agents. The investigation into Faye was prompted by his extensive contact with Bryan C. Perry, another militia member who was arrested for conspiring to kill federal agents. Faye intended to travel to the border with Perry before his arrest.
Faye had a cache of weapons at his home and told an undercover FBI agent that he believed the US government was training to take on its citizens and purposely allowing migrants to cross the border. He expressed his intention to take explosives to the border and serve as a sniper with a militia group. Faye also discussed coordinating with militia groups from Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. He wanted to “stir up the hornet’s nest” at the border and hoped for a domino effect, where others would come and provide further support.
Faye invited the undercover agent to his home, where the agent saw his weapons cache and discussed plans to travel to the US/Mexico border and commit acts of violence. Faye later sold the agent an unregistered firearms suppressor. He will appear in federal court on February 12 for a detention hearing.