Spokane Jury Convicts 3 in ICE Protest Conspiracy Case, Exposing Them to 6 Years

11 articles · Updated · KREM.com · May 30

Three defendants — Jac Archer, Bajun Mavalwalla II and Justice Forall — were found guilty Thursday of conspiring to impede or injure officers during a June 2025 protest outside Spokane's ICE facility.
Prosecutors said video showed coordinated communication as the crowd tried to stop two Venezuelan men from being transported to an ICE detention center in Tacoma, and argued officers' de-escalation efforts failed before they felt threatened.
Defense lawyers said the three had different motives, did not agree to civil disobedience or violence, and in Archer's case tried to maintain safety; all had pleaded not guilty.
A motion to dismiss remains unresolved, with Judge Rebecca Pennell seeking more briefing and not expected to rule until at least early July; sentencing has not been set, and the charge carries up to 6 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The verdict drew an immediate political split: Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown called the prosecution politically motivated, while federal prosecutors said 12 jurors heard 8 days of evidence and proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Why did this protest prosecution succeed when hundreds of similar federal cases against activists have failed?

When does a protest cross the line from protected speech to a federal criminal conspiracy?