Florida man sentenced to 3 and a half years in prison for firebombing OC Planned Parenthood clinic
The judge said Xavier Batten committed a "cowardly crime" and showed no empathy for women or their rights.
SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- A 21-year-old from Florida was sentenced Monday to three and a half years in federal prison for helping two men build a Molotov cocktail to attack a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa.
Xavier Batten pleaded guilty in January to one felony count of possessing an unregistered destructive device and one misdemeanor count of intentionally damaging a reproductive health services facility. U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney also sentenced him to three years of probation and ordered him to pay $1,000 in restitution.
Carney said Batten committed a "cowardly crime" and showed no empathy for women or their rights. Batten has been in federal custody since July 2023.
In 2022, Batten made plans with 24-year-old Chance Brannon of San Juan Capistrano, a Marine stationed out of Camp Pendleton at the time, to damage the clinic, according to the Justice Department.
Authorities said Brannon and 22-year-old Tibet Ergul of Irvine built the Molotov cocktail in Ergul's garage.
"Batten, who was in Florida at the time, helped Brannon by advising him on how to build the Molotov cocktail, knowing Brannon intended to use the device to firebomb a reproductive health clinic," said the DOJ in a statement.
Ergul and Brannon attacked the clinic on March 13, 2022 by throwing the Molotov cocktail at the location's entrance. The damage to the building caused the clinic to briefly close, forcing the medical staff to cancel at least 30 appointments at the time.
"Within minutes of firebombing the clinic, Brannon texted Batten to inform him that their plan had been successful and Batten congratulated Brannon on his success," the DOJ said.
Prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum that Batten has "a history of threatening to commit mass shootings and his communications and internet searches reflect a violent and racially motivated ideology," authorities said.
"[Batten's] willingness to help his codefendants firebomb a healthcare clinic from afar, without being present to check for people or control the circumstances, reflects a seeming apathy to whether anyone would be hurt or killed as a result of his tutelage," prosecutors argued.
Last month, Brannon was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his role in the attack and for plotting other attacks - including one on the Orange County power grid, another at Dodger Stadium during a Pride celebration, and home invasions of Jewish residences in L.A.
Brannon pleaded guilty in November 2023 to one count of conspiracy, one count of malicious destruction of property by fire and explosives, one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device, and one count of intentionally damaging a reproductive health services facility in violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.
Ergul pleaded guilty on February 29 to one felony count of conspiracy to damage an energy facility and one misdemeanor count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility.
He's set to be sentenced on May 30.
