Two individuals from Orange County, including a U.S. Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton, have been arrested on federal charges of firebombing a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa last year. Tibet Ergul, 21, of Irvine, and Chance Brannon, 23, of San Juan Capistrano, who is an active-duty Marine, were apprehended by FBI agents and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. They appeared in federal court in Santa Ana, with Ergul’s bond hearing postponed until Friday and bail denied for Brannon.
According to an affidavit from FBI Special Agent Jennifer Hirsch, the two are accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the entrance of the clinic on March 13, 2022. They returned to the clinic later, causing it to close and cancel numerous appointments. Ergul even texted someone, taking credit for the fire and expressing regret for not recording it. He also sent a photo of himself holding the Molotov cocktail from inside Brannon’s car.
Surveillance footage from the clinic captured the two suspects wearing hooded sweatshirts and masks approaching the building. The estimated damage to the clinic was around $1,050. In January, the FBI offered a reward for information leading to their arrest, and a witness came forward in April, providing text messages from Ergul admitting his involvement in the bombing.
In addition to these charges, Ergul had been previously arrested in Arizona on suspicion of aggravated assault, unlawful imprisonment, and criminal damage. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada described the firebombing as a “brazen attack” on a critical healthcare provider in Orange County.
During the court proceedings, Brannon’s attorney highlighted his military training as a Farsi language expert and argued that he had strong local family ties and no prior criminal history. However, the prosecution mentioned that Brannon had crossed into Mexico without notifying Camp Pendleton officials and his biological father’s connection to an online betting company under investigation for money laundering.
The prosecution presented evidence of seized weapons, including silencers and a short-barrel rifle, some of which were banned by state laws. They also found “neo-Nazi” paraphernalia and disturbing writings in Brannon’s room. However, Brannon’s attorney argued that he did not create the material and deemed it irrelevant to the alleged crime.
Overall, the court expressed grave concerns about the severity of the allegations and the evidence presented against Brannon.
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