Cleveland Man Charged with Attempted Kidnapping of Law Enforcement Officers

A Cleveland man has been indicted for attempting to kidnap law enforcement officers in response to a false distress call. Christian Stanley Ferguson, 20, was arrested on May 8, 2020, after a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging him with attempted kidnapping.

According to the indictment, Ferguson engaged in violent and extremist postings on social media platforms, discussing his desire to call police to report a false crime to prompt a response by law enforcement. He expressed an interest in a response by federal law enforcement because he believed they had better quality firearms and body armor to steal.

Ferguson also made statements about tactical options for killing multiple targets and the disposal of their bodies. He reaffirmed his plan to ambush law enforcement, kill them, rob them of their weapons, and start an uprising.

As part of his plan, Ferguson met with individuals to discuss his plot and engaged in practice drills with an AR-15 rifle. He also conducted reconnaissance in a dry run and facilitated a hoax distress call within the boundaries of the National Park to gauge response time by Park Rangers.

The indictment alleges that Ferguson believed four federal officers would respond to the actual event and that they would likely have to kill them all. However, his plan was disrupted when the public tipped off the FBI about his hateful and violent feelings toward law enforcement.

Ferguson was arrested without incident and is currently in federal custody. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman stated, "Christian Ferguson was actively planning to ambush, kidnap, and even kill law enforcement officers in order to carry out his plot of a violent uprising. We must demonstrate that these types of threats to law enforcement or to commit such heinous acts of violence in our community will not be tolerated."

FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith added, "The primary mission for law enforcement officers and special agents is to protect the public. Christian Ferguson’s primary mission was to kill as many law enforcement personnel as he could, an unfathomable concept. Thanks to the public for advising the FBI of the hateful and violent feelings Ferguson held for law enforcement. This information led to the swift disruption of Ferguson’s plans and his reckoning with the criminal justice system."

This case was investigated by the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Rangers, Cuyahoga Falls Police Chief Jack Davis, and the FBI. The National Park Service is deeply appreciative of the work of the FBI and United States Attorney on this case. This indictment is good news for the men and women of law enforcement across the region."

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