A Tennessee resident, Paul Faye Sr., 55, was apprehended by federal authorities on allegations of planning to join a far-right militia with the intent to target migrants at the southern border using a sniper rifle. However, his son has dismissed these claims, labeling his father as a habitual fabricator.
Faye was taken into custody after he allegedly informed an undercover FBI agent that he was prepared to create chaos at the border and eliminate any opposition. The agent was investigating the militia group when he came into contact with Faye. The details of this interaction were revealed in a criminal complaint filed in a Tennessee district court.
During a phone conversation with the undercover agent on May 11, Faye reportedly stated that “patriots” would rise up in response to what he perceived as an invasion at the border. Following his arrest, law enforcement officers discovered several firearms at his residence, including a short-barreled shotgun, a Springfield XD pistol, a firearm silencer, a militia patch, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Authorities also found multiple jars of Tannerite on Faye’s property. Tannerite is a brand of explosive targets that can be repurposed into improvised explosive devices. Faye was subsequently charged with illegal possession and transfer of an unregistered firearm silencer, which he had allegedly given to the undercover agent as they planned their journey to target migrants.
Faye, who met the undercover agent on TikTok in March, boasted about his marksmanship skills and his ability to protect other militia members with his sniping abilities. However, Faye’s son, Joseph, refuted these claims, stating that his father lacked such skills and had no genuine intentions of causing harm at the border.
Joseph described his father as a man with mental health issues who was manipulated by the FBI into concocting plans to attack migrants. He alleged that FBI agents often took his father out for meals and gave him gifts, despite his warnings that his father was interacting with a federal agent.
The FBI and the local US Attorney’s Office have declined to comment on the case. Faye’s public defender could not be reached for comment. Faye is set to appear in court for a preliminary and detention hearing on Feb. 12. If found guilty, he could face a maximum fine of $250,000 and a maximum sentence of 10 years.