Defense requests immunity for FBI agents, informants in Whitmer kidnapping plot

(The Center Square) – A defense attorney for one of the five men accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asked in a new filing that the court require the government to obtain orders of use immunity of the FBI agents and confidential human sources.

Scott Graham, the attorney for alleged extremist Kaleb Franks, wrote that the “illegal and unethical” use of confidential informants complicates the case.

The request follows three lead sting FBI agents who won’t be testifying in the March 8 trial in Grand Rapids.

Former lead FBI agent Richard Trask was arrested on a domestic violence charge after allegedly smashing his wife’s head into a desk after leaving a swinger sex party and was later fired.

A second FBI agent, Henrik Impola, also won’t be testifying after being accused of perjury in a separate case. Jayson Chambers, a third agent, allegedly used the Whitmer plot to promote his side security consulting firm called Exeintel.

At least 12 FBI confidential informants infiltrated the Whitmer plot and recorded more than 1,000 hours of conversation, and one informant even led military training.

The FBI knew at least one informant, former confidential human source (CHS) Stephen Robeson, was using money raised under the pretext of combating child sex trafficking to fund weapons. Although aware of Robeson's fraudulent activities in late 2020, the FBI didn’t charge him until a year later in Dec. 2021.

Court records say Robeson organized and paid for the “anti-government” meeting in Dublin, Ohio, on June 6, 2020, and on July 18, 2020, in Peebles, Ohio, where he bought “pizza, moonshine, and paid for attendees' hotel rooms.”

In all, “CHS Steve,” or Robeson, was paid $19,328.79.

Now, the FBI and prosecutors claim that Robeson was a “double agent” who disobeyed FBI rules, illegally purchased a firearm, undermined the investigation, offered to use a drone to commit domestic terrorism, and warned one of the alleged allegations plotters before an arrest.

On Sept. 26 – 13 days before the Whitmer sting – prosecutors charged Robeson with illegally obtaining a .50 caliber rifle. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from buying firearms.

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