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United States of America v. Audrey Illeene Carroll, Zachary Aaron Page, Dante James Anthony-Gaffield and Tina Lai, 41, a.k.a. “Kickwhere"
Date: 12-23-2025
Case Number: 25-mj-07759
Judge: Not Available
Court: United States District Court for the Central District of California (Los Angeles County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles
Defendant's Attorney: Click Here For The Best Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Directory
Description:
Los Angeles, California, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with one count of providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and one count of possession of unregistered firearms.
The defendants were charged with one count each of providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and one count of possession of unregistered firearms:
Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30, a.k.a. “Asiginaak,” and “Black Moon,” of South Los Angeles;
Zachary Aaron Page, 32, a.k.a. “AK,” “Ash Kerrigan,” and “Cthulu’s Daughter,” of Torrance;
Dante James Anthony-Gaffield, 24, a.k.a. “Nomad,” of South Los Angeles; and
Tina Lai, 41, a.k.a. “Kickwhere,” of Glendale.
Carroll and Page also are charged with one count of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction.
All four defendants are in federal custody without bond. Lai’s arraignment is scheduled for January 2, 2026. Carroll and Page are scheduled to be arraigned on January 5, 2026. Gaffield’s arraignment is scheduled for January 20, 2026. All the defendants will be arraigned in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“The charges a federal grand jury returned today reflect the seriousness of the conduct: a planned terrorist attack on American soil on New Year’s Eve,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “If convicted, this group of self-professed left-wing radicals will face decades in federal prison. We will continue to investigate and prosecute any and all terror groups and bring them to justice.”
According to the indictment, the defendants are part of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), an anti-capitalist and anti-government group. They also are members of what Carroll characterized as a “radical” TILF faction that communicated using an encrypted messaging group called “Order of the Black Lotus.”
In November 2025, Carroll drafted an eight-page, handwritten document titled, “Operation Midnight Sun” that described a bombing plot targeting U.S. businesses across Southern California this upcoming New Year’s Eve.
Among other things, the plot included details on the co-conspirators’ “marks” (intended targets), instructions on how to manufacture the bombs and source the bomb-making materials, and guidance for the co-conspirators to avoid leaving evidence behind that could be traced to them.
The New Year’s Eve bombing plot was designed to “completely pulverize” the targets, which included technology and logistics companies with offices across Southern California. After drafting the bombing plot, Carroll recruited others – including Page, Gaffield, and Lai – to join the attack plan.
On November 29, 2025, Page used an encrypted messaging application to send the following message to co-conspirators, including Carroll and Gaffield: “death to israel death to the usa death to colonizers death to settler-coloniasm [sic].” In response to Page’s message, Carroll stated, “Death to them all, burn it all down [three emojis of a burning heart].”
Throughout early December 2025, the defendants procured bomb-making materials to build and test explosive devices in the Mojave Desert on December 12, 2025, including by obtaining bomb-making materials such as potassium nitrate, sulfur, charcoal, and pipes.
Carroll and Page also described plans for after the New Year’s Eve bombings, including targeting United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and vehicles with firearms and pipe bombs to “take some of them out and scare the rest of them,” according to the indictment.
On December 12, 2025, the defendants traveled to the Mojave Desert to build and test explosives that they planned to use as part of the New Year’s Eve plot. The FBI arrested them at the scene before the co-conspirators could make functional explosive devices.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Carroll and Page would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison, and Gaffield and Lai would face a statutory maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this matter. Considerable assistance was provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, and the Palm Springs Police Department. FBI field offices in Boston, Buffalo, and New Orleans are also providing assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello and Amanda B. Elbogen of the National Security Division and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Weiner of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case, with assistance from Justice Department Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the Counterterrorism Section.
The defendants were charged with one count each of providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and one count of possession of unregistered firearms:
Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30, a.k.a. “Asiginaak,” and “Black Moon,” of South Los Angeles;
Zachary Aaron Page, 32, a.k.a. “AK,” “Ash Kerrigan,” and “Cthulu’s Daughter,” of Torrance;
Dante James Anthony-Gaffield, 24, a.k.a. “Nomad,” of South Los Angeles; and
Tina Lai, 41, a.k.a. “Kickwhere,” of Glendale.
Carroll and Page also are charged with one count of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction.
All four defendants are in federal custody without bond. Lai’s arraignment is scheduled for January 2, 2026. Carroll and Page are scheduled to be arraigned on January 5, 2026. Gaffield’s arraignment is scheduled for January 20, 2026. All the defendants will be arraigned in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“The charges a federal grand jury returned today reflect the seriousness of the conduct: a planned terrorist attack on American soil on New Year’s Eve,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “If convicted, this group of self-professed left-wing radicals will face decades in federal prison. We will continue to investigate and prosecute any and all terror groups and bring them to justice.”
According to the indictment, the defendants are part of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), an anti-capitalist and anti-government group. They also are members of what Carroll characterized as a “radical” TILF faction that communicated using an encrypted messaging group called “Order of the Black Lotus.”
In November 2025, Carroll drafted an eight-page, handwritten document titled, “Operation Midnight Sun” that described a bombing plot targeting U.S. businesses across Southern California this upcoming New Year’s Eve.
Among other things, the plot included details on the co-conspirators’ “marks” (intended targets), instructions on how to manufacture the bombs and source the bomb-making materials, and guidance for the co-conspirators to avoid leaving evidence behind that could be traced to them.
The New Year’s Eve bombing plot was designed to “completely pulverize” the targets, which included technology and logistics companies with offices across Southern California. After drafting the bombing plot, Carroll recruited others – including Page, Gaffield, and Lai – to join the attack plan.
On November 29, 2025, Page used an encrypted messaging application to send the following message to co-conspirators, including Carroll and Gaffield: “death to israel death to the usa death to colonizers death to settler-coloniasm [sic].” In response to Page’s message, Carroll stated, “Death to them all, burn it all down [three emojis of a burning heart].”
Throughout early December 2025, the defendants procured bomb-making materials to build and test explosive devices in the Mojave Desert on December 12, 2025, including by obtaining bomb-making materials such as potassium nitrate, sulfur, charcoal, and pipes.
Carroll and Page also described plans for after the New Year’s Eve bombings, including targeting United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and vehicles with firearms and pipe bombs to “take some of them out and scare the rest of them,” according to the indictment.
On December 12, 2025, the defendants traveled to the Mojave Desert to build and test explosives that they planned to use as part of the New Year’s Eve plot. The FBI arrested them at the scene before the co-conspirators could make functional explosive devices.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Carroll and Page would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison, and Gaffield and Lai would face a statutory maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this matter. Considerable assistance was provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, and the Palm Springs Police Department. FBI field offices in Boston, Buffalo, and New Orleans are also providing assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello and Amanda B. Elbogen of the National Security Division and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Weiner of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case, with assistance from Justice Department Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the Counterterrorism Section.
Outcome:
A criminal charge is not proof of guilt.
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments:
About This Case
What was the outcome of United States of America v. Audrey Illeene Carroll, Zacha...?
The outcome was: A criminal charge is not proof of guilt.
Which court heard United States of America v. Audrey Illeene Carroll, Zacha...?
This case was heard in United States District Court for the Central District of California (Los Angeles County), CA. The presiding judge was Not Available.
Who were the attorneys in United States of America v. Audrey Illeene Carroll, Zacha...?
Plaintiff's attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. Defendant's attorney: Click Here For The Best Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Directory.
When was United States of America v. Audrey Illeene Carroll, Zacha... decided?
This case was decided on December 23, 2025.