A total of eight defendants have now been charged in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other high-profile targets during the UFC Freedom 250 event June 14 at the White House.

The Department of Justice announced Thursday in a news release that the eighth defendant, Chandler D. Scaggs, 21, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, was taken into custody Tuesday in West Virginia. Scaggs allegedly was assigned as one of the snipers in the planned attack.

The case stems from an initial investigation and criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Ohio against Tycen C. Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio.

Proper and four others charged federally in Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, and California were arrested the weekend of the UFC event.

Two more defendants were charged and arrested by the FBI about a week later in Washington state and Missouri.

The DOJ said an affidavit alleges Scaggs was to be picked up by Proper to travel to Washington, D.C.

Scaggs and others lost contact with Proper upon Proper's arrest, but Scaggs allegedly indicated to the group that he was still willing to participate in the attack and made new plans for another co-conspirator to pick him up and travel to the UFC event.

Those charged include Proper, Scaggs, Abraham H. Alvarez, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, of Hamilton, Missouri; William L.S. Falkner, 21, of Belfair, Washington; Jordan W. Rincker, 28, of St. Joseph, Missouri; Bryan O. Roa, 25, of Calimesa, California; and Michael A. Thomas, 32, of Pinon Hills, California.

All eight were charged together in a two-count indictment returned in Columbus, Ohio.

Each is charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government property and to murder a federal government official.

If convicted, each faces up to 15 years in federal prison on the material-support conspiracy charge and up to life in prison on the murder-conspiracy charge, as well as substantial fines.

The DOJ said the indictment alleges that starting this past May, the defendants conspired to provide material support and resources to terrorists in the form of money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment, communication equipment, personnel, and other services.

They allegedly participated in online chat groups and forums on Signal, SimpleX, Discord, TikTok, and Instagram.

The DOJ said they used those platforms to develop attack plans, recruit members and encourage one another to prepare for attacks, including the one targeting the UFC event.

In addition to amassing weapons, ammunition, tactical gear, and other supplies, the defendants allegedly engaged in marksmanship and combat training, agreed on targets for the UFC event, and created plans for carrying out the assault and escaping afterward.

The DOJ said the defendants allegedly planned to kill Trump, Vance, Elon Musk, other federal officials, and "other high value targets" at the UFC event.