Three Spokane Protesters Convicted of Federal Conspiracy

Three protesters were convicted on federal conspiracy charges Thursday for their roles in a 2025 demonstration aimed at blocking the transfer of detained immigrants in Spokane, Washington. The defendants, Jac Archer, Justice Forral, and Bajun Mavalwalla II, face up to six years in prison and fines of $250,000.

The charges stem from a June 2025 protest outside a federal facility where hundreds of demonstrators gathered. They had responded to a social media call from former Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart, who urged people to block a bus transporting two Venezuelan immigrants, who were in the country seeking asylum, to a processing center in Tacoma. Stuckart was serving as a sponsor for one of the immigrants.

During the demonstration, local police used smoke grenades and pepper balls. Some protesters deflated the tires of a federal transport van and graffitied the vehicle. More than 30 people were arrested amid pushing and shoving between law enforcement and demonstrators. A federal grand jury later indicted nine people on conspiracy charges. Stuckart and five others accepted plea agreements for reduced sentences, while Archer, Forral, and Mavalwalla proceeded to trial.