An assistant principal in Virginia and his brother were arrested at an airport en route to Las Vegas, where they were allegedly traveling to meet with “like-minded individuals” and plan ambush-style attacks on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
John Bennett, 54, and Mark Bennett, 59, were both arrested at the Norfolk International Airport on Wednesday, less than a week after the alleged plan was formulated.
An off-duty police officer claimed that he overheard the brothers discussing “how ICE agents are kidnapping individuals and that they need to do something about it” while dining at a restaurant in Virginia Beach, according to a criminal complaint obtained by local outlet WTKR. During the conversation, Mark Bennett discussed his plans to travel to Las Vegas in order to meet with “like-minded” people to formulate “enforcement ideas and plans,” according to the complaint.
The elder brother then allegedly boasted that he recently purchased an assault rifle specifically because “it utilizes the explosive rounds that are needed to penetrate the vests” worn by ICE agents, prosecutors said.
John Bennett, an assistant principal at Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach, then told his brother that he would be joining him on the Vegas trip in order to “go hunting,” according to the complaint.
John Bennett, an assistant principal in Virginia was arrested for plotting to kill ICE agents after he was overheard complaining how agents are “kidnapping” people.
This is the exact lie pushed every single day by Democrat leaders and the fake news legacy media talking heads.… pic.twitter.com/wKnuaB4Hxo
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 23, 2025
The complaint states that Mark Bennett bought a ticket to fly to Vegas on Wednesday. It is unclear whether his brother ended up buying a ticket as well. John Bennett was placed on leave following his arrest, WTKR reported.
According to John Bennett’s LinkedIn profile, he once took a year off from education in order to try his hand at police work. He ultimately ended that career pursuit after one year and returned to the education field in order to teach high school mathematics.
Each brother is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit malicious wounding. Both were granted bonded and released after an arraignment hearing last Thursday, 13 News Now reported.
“It’s chilling that a human being, much less a child educator, would plot to ambush and kill ICE law enforcement officers—offering such specifics as to getting a high-caliber rifle that would pierce the law enforcements’ bullet proof vests,” DHD Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News on Wednesday. “Thanks to Homeland Security Investigations and our partners, these men are behind bars.”
Happy O’Brien, Mark Bennett’s attorney, stated that his client is innocent and was instead traveling to Sin City in order to attend a Formula One motorsports race with his child, according to the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot.
