An Irvine man is the latest to plead guilty to firebombing a Costa Mesa Planned Parenthood in 2022, joining two others who’ve already admitted to participating in a politically motivated series of attacks targeting abortion providers and the LGBTQ community in pursuit of an eventual race war.
Tibet Ergul, 22, pleaded guilty last month to a misdemeanor count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. He also admitted to a felony charge of conspiracy to damage an energy facility related to potential further incidents with his coconspirators.
The guilty plea was listed in a weekly roundup of cases by Seamus Hughes of Court Watch.
Ergul joins former Marine Chance Brannon, a 24-year-old from San Juan Capistrano, and Xavier Batten, 21, of Brooksville, Florida, in pleading guilty in the case, which was motivated by anti-abortion sentiment.
An image of a Molotov cocktail was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice. 
A U.S. Marine is one of two men who was charged for throwing a Molotov cocktail at a Planned Parenthood in Costa Mesa in March 2022. 
Suspects wanted by the FBI for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at an Orange County Planned Parenthood on March, 13, 2022. (FBI) 
Suspects wanted by the FBI for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at an Orange County Planned Parenthood on March, 13, 2022. (FBI)
“Ergul and Brannon, who at the time was an active-duty U.S. Marine, targeted the clinic because it provided reproductive health services and they wanted to encourage others to engage in similar violent acts,” the release said, adding that they also were considering firebombing another Planned Parenthood clinic, but they were deterred by a law enforcement presence.
The men also plotted similar incidents at an Orange County electrical substation and LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium, leading to the felony charge for Ergul, who with Brannon was arrested two days ahead Pride Night.
The attack on the substation was intended to knock out the O.C. power gridand potentially start a “race war,” Ergul wrote in a letter to Brannon. Ergul added that he had “a desire to murder politicians and journalists,” the DOJ said.
All three admitted to intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility, while Brannon and Batten also admitted to possession of an unregistered destructive device. Furthermore, Brannon admitted to conspiracy and malicious destruction of property by fire and explosives.
Ergul will be sentenced on May 30 and faces up to 21 years in federal prison. Batten will be sentenced on May 15, and Brannon is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15.
