(Reuters] – On Wednesday, defense and prosecution attorneys will give opening statements in federal court against the four defendants in the plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020. They were referring to restrictions Whitmer had imposed in order to contain the pandemic.

Each of the four defendants are charged with conspiring to kidnap Democratic Governor from her vacation house. A 12-member jury sitting on Tuesday found them guilty and sentenced to a life-long imprisonment.

The other indictments against Caserta include knowingly conspiring for weapons of mass destruction to be used against people or property.

The lawyers representing these four declined to comment, or were unable to reach them for comment.

Robert Jonker from the United States District Court is taking charge of this Grand Rapids case.

Two key witnesses, Ty Garbin (and Kaleb Franks) are likely to be used by the prosecution as testimony. Garbin, Frank, along with all four defendants were indicted by the grand jury on December 2020. They made plea bargains with prosecutors and offered to testify against them.

Garbin currently serves a 6-year sentence. Franks awaits sentencing.

In total, 13 men were charged in connection with the kidnapping plot by federal or state prosecutors. Seven men are being charged in the state court.

FBI claimed it became aware of online conversations that featured posts about violent overthrows of state governments and the lifting of restrictions on social media activities to combat the coronavirus.

Indictment alleges that one or more defendants discussed Whitner’s kidnapping, and planned to meet up in Wisconsin in July to practice assault rifle shooting. In the posts, Whitmer also talked about buying supplies that could be used in kidnapping as well as placing Whitmer’s vacation home under surveillance.

The indictment charges Fox, Croft, Harris with planning to damage a bridge next to Harris’ vacation home to prevent law enforcement from responding.

According to the indictment, Fox purchased explosives worth $4,000 from an FBI undercover agent pretending to be a conspirator. Indictment stated Fox and Harris also made payments to Harris for explosives over the weeks that followed.

Fox, according to prosecutors suggested that the group bring Whitmer to Wisconsin, whom he considered to be a tyrant responsible for the closing of gyms. Whitmer was also placed under trial for “treason.”