An Arizona man has been indicted for plotting to start a race war by planning to conduct a mass shooting at a rap concert in Atlanta.
Authorities Foil Mass Shooting at Rap Concert
On Tuesday (June 11), Mark Adams Prieto, 58, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of firearms trafficking, transfer of a firearm for use in a hate crime and possession of an unregistered firearm, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. According to the DOJ report, “between January 2024 and May 2024, Prieto had discussions with two individuals working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to devise a plan to commit a mass shooting of African Americans and other minorities to incite a race war prior to the 2024 United States Presidential Election.”
His target was an unnamed rap concert that was to be held on May 14-May15 in Atlanta. Plans later evolved to targeting a concert in June.
Prieto was stopped by law enforcement driving east from Arizona through New Mexico on Interstate 40 on May 14. Police discovered several firearms in his vehicle and he was arrested. According to court documents obtained by Atlanta news outlet WSB-TV, Prieto explained the reason Atlanta was his target saying, “The reason I say Atlanta. Why, why is Georgia such a [expletive]-up state now? When I was a kid that was one of the most conservative states in the country. Why is it not now? Because as the crime got worse in LA, St. Louis, and all these other cities, all the [expletives] moved out of those (places) and moved to Atlanta. That’s why it isn’t so great anymore. And they’ve been there for a couple, several years.”
Prieto revealed he was specifically targeting a rap concert because “there would be a high concentration of African Americans” there.
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Prieto Faces Lengthy Prison Sentence
Prieto is facing up to 45 years in prison if convicted on all charges. Each conviction for firearms trafficking and transfer of a firearm for use in a hate crime carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The possession of an unregistered firearm charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A trial date has not been set.
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