Cooperating witness testifies in Prairieland federal trial after emotional courtroom moments

Tears, anger and a walkout: there was plenty of drama on Wednesday in the trial over an alleged attack on the Prairieland ICE detention facility. While nine people are currently on trial in Fort Worth, attention has turned to those who made plea agreements and agreed to testify for the government.

Witness Lynette Sharp takes stand in a prison uniform  

The first cooperating witness, Lynette Sharp, took the stand on Wednesday afternoon. The 57-year-old was dressed in an orange and white prison uniform with handcuffs and chains on her wrists. 

Sharp was arrested six days after the shooting at Prairieland. In November, she pleaded guilty to one count of material support of terrorism, which carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years. She agreed to testify in hopes that her cooperation would lead to a reduction in punishment.

Prosecutors started by having Sharp detail how she met each defendant.

They began with Benjamin Song, whom Sharp said she also knew by the moniker "Champain." She said she met Song in early 2022 and took a self-defense class that Song taught at a community center in Fort Worth.

Sharp identifies defendants, becomes emotional on the stand  

When asked if she recognized anyone in the room as Song, Sharp replied, "Maybe. It's a really crowded room." 

Judge Mark Pittman asked Song to stand. 

Sharp said she recognized him, smiling and saying, "Nice suit." 

It was through Song, Sharp said, that she met Autumn Hill, another defendant. The judge had Hill stand up so Sharp could see her. 

"I remember that hair," Sharp smiled, referring to Hill's long, brown curls.

Sharp said she took a weapons safety course called "Guns and Tell," and joined the Socialist Rifle Association. At that point, she met more people from the community center, including Maricela Rueda, Savanna Batten, and husband and wife Ines and Elizabeth Soto.

The judge had all four stand up so Sharp could describe them by what they were wearing.

Sharp said it was Rueda who invited her to the Emma Goldman Book Club, a group that met monthly to read literature and discuss ideas. Prosecutors walked her through several photos of one such meeting, which showed tables filled with pamphlets and stickers, pamphlets on chairs, and people sitting in a circle talking.

She also described meeting Meagan Morris and Daniel Sanchez. Each was told to stand so she could identify them.

Prosecutor Shawn Smith had asked Sharp for each person's "handle" on the messaging app Signal. Sharp said that's often how they referred to each other, saying that she sometimes only knew people by their handle or first name only.

Smith then asked Sharp if she knew who "Jon ValJon" was. 

As she scanned the room, Pittman asked Zachary Evetts to stand, but he did not. Instead, one of his attorneys rose to his feet with an objection. Patrick McLain began to explain his argument when Pittman abruptly ordered the jury to leave the room. Savanna Batten's attorney stood and said he wanted to join the objection.

After the jurors' exit, Pittman lit into the attorneys about raising an issue with the identification process, saying that the number of people in the courtroom probably violated the fire code. 

"Do we have to over-lawyer everything?" he said, continuing, "I'd like the record to reflect what the room looks like." 

Pittman continued commenting about the size of the room and the lighting, then finished by saying, "Let's take a break and I want you to think about it," before stalking off the bench.

Judge orders defendants to line up after courtroom objection  

When court resumed, the objection was not addressed. Instead, the jury filed in and all nine defendants were forced to line up shoulder to shoulder in the front of the courtroom.

Pittman returned and spoke to the jury about how "particularly irritating" it was to have such a small courtroom. He said he'd had to collect chairs from around the courthouse and his own chambers to ensure there was enough seating for all the defendants and their attorneys. He also said he had repeatedly reported problems with dim lighting to the U.S. General Services Administration, which is responsible for maintaining federal courthouses. 

"I've complained to the highest levels in Washington," he added.

At that point, Pittman addressed Sharp directly, warning her that lying under oath is a crime. Then he went down the line of defendants, asking Sharp if she recognized them. Her voice wavered as she confirmed each person's identity, at one point wiping away tears. When prosecutor Shawn Smith took over questioning, he asked her why she was getting emotional. 

"Because I love them," Sharp replied.

Testimony details gun training and group meetings  

After the defendants sat down, the questions turned to Sharp's knowledge and use of guns within the group. She said Song had invited her to "dry fire drills" at a home in Dallas, where he taught people different maneuvers for moving with weapons and "clearing" rooms. She said she and some of the defendants also enjoyed shooting at various gun ranges in DFW.

Then prosecutors turned to the night of July 4, 2025.

Sharp said she was part of a Signal chat about the protest planned that evening outside the Prairieland detention center, but she could not attend due to personal issues with her family. 

"I will support from afar," her message read. "Can't leave my house."

Sharp said she first learned that there was a problem around 1 a.m., when another Signal message came through from another member saying "there was a problem." Sharp looked online and saw news of the shooting.

She and Susan Kent, another co-defendant who has pleaded guilty, drove to the Prairieland area but could not get close enough to learn anything. Then they went to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office. 

"I had bail money in my pocket," she recalled. 

Sharp said they were used to having to help get people out of jail for trespassing or other minor crimes.

While seven people were arrested that night, Song was not. Prosecutors say he hid out near the detention center until Sharp could help get him out of the area. They plan to go over that when testimony resumes.