NEW: Far-Left Extremist Hit With Terrorism Charges Over Gruesome ICE Assassination Plot

An 18-year-old Oregon resident is facing terrorism charges in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents with Molotov cocktails.

Rayden Tanner Coleman, who had no prior criminal record and worked as a caregiver at an assisted living facility prior to his arrest, faces over a dozen counts related to weapons possession, manufacturing destructive devices, and conspiracy to commit assault. The case marks the first use of Oregon’s domestic terrorism statute in a prosecution, which comes amid sustained political violence in Portland and elsewhere.

Coleman was taken into custody on February 4 following a high-risk traffic stop by the St. Helens Police Department at the Avamere Assisted Living facility where he was employed, according to a report from local outlet WGME.

Officers discovered several items in his vehicle, including glass bottles filled with sand, hand sanitizer intended as an accelerant, and surveillance equipment, which authorities later linked to the construction of Molotov cocktails. A camouflage backpack containing multiple knives was also found during the stop.

Coleman had reportedly ordered a semiautomatic AR-15-style rifle online, which was set to be delivered on the same day as his arrest. He later admitted during questioning that he would have proceeded with his plans if he had received the weapon, according to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

According to court documents and investigative interviews, Coleman’s alleged scheme involved ambushing ICE agents at their Portland office or following them home after shifts. He planned to use the AR-15 for shootings, Molotov cocktails for arson attacks, as well as a hatchet to decapitate victims.

He planned to use the latter weapon in order to collect “trophies” that he would then use to recruit people to his cause at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, prosecutors said.

Coleman had acquired camouflage clothing and expressed interest in night vision goggles to aid in nighttime operations. He also discussed targeting the father of a friend who worked as a security guard at the ICE facility.

Rayden Tanner Coleman appears in a Columbia County courtroom in St. Helens
Photo: KATU

The plot’s origins trace back to early January 2026, when Coleman began sharing his intentions through messages on the Discord app and a manifesto stored on his computer. “I’m gonna get my hands on a firearm and I will actively kill any ICE agents I see killing or kidnapping civilians,” one of the messages read.

The manifesto outlined a vision for establishing a new entity called the “Cascadia Rangers Coalition,” a sovereign nation based out of the Warm Springs Reservation, where he aimed to build a following by demonstrating the “seriousness” of his cause through violent acts against federal agents. Coleman described his ideas as “crazy” but proceeded to gather materials, including tactical axes, a U.S. Army knife, and shovels

The alert that led to his arrest came from the mother of one of Coleman’s roommates, who contacted police after he boasted about bringing “severed ICE agent heads” to the reservation for recruitment and mentioned bombing the ICE office. Roommates expressed safety concerns, prompting the welfare check that escalated into the traffic stop.

During a post-Miranda interview, Coleman admitted to wanting to kill ICE agents and detailed his operational plans, though he later claimed statements about decapitation were made “out of anger” and not meant to be taken literally.

Coleman pleaded not guilty to the charges levied against him in an initial court appearance on Friday, February 13.

His attorney, Christopher Thurman, described him as an “18-year-old kid without a criminal record” and requested pretrial release, which was denied by the judge. Bail was reduced from $400,000 to $300,000, and a trial date was set for March 31, 2026.

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