Six new names added to indictment in anti-ICE storming of St. Paul church
Former CNN host Don Lemon among them
Six more individuals have been indicted in the anti-ICE protester storming of Cities Church in St. Paul on Jan. 18, 2026 that was dubbed “Operation Pullup” by the agitators.
Among the newly charged is former CNN host Don Lemon, who live streamed the chaos and arguably badgered parishioners with ideologically slanted questioning as they attempted to leave.
1. Nekima Valdez Levy-Armstrong (a/k/a “Nekima Valdez Levy-Pounds”)
2. Chauntyll Louisa Allen
3. William Scott Kelly (a/k/a “DaWokeFarmer”)
4. Don Renaldo Lemon
5. Jerome Deangelo Richardson
6. Jamael Lydell Lundy
7. Trahern Jeen Crews
8. Georgia Ellyse Fort
9. Ian Davis Austin
The allegations in the updated indictment state that as worship services were occurring, “a group of approximately 20-40 agitators, including all of the defendants named in this Indictment, entered the Church in a coordinated takeover-style attack and engaged in acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction alleged herein.”
“As a result of defendants’ conduct, the pastor and congregation were forced to terminate the Church’s worship service, congregants fled the Church building out of fear for their safety, other congregants took steps to implement an emergency plan, and young children were left to wonder, as one child put it, if their parents were going to die,” the indictment states.
All nine defendants are charged in both counts of the indictment, which include both Civil Rights and FACE Act violations.
Count One
(18 U.S.C. § 241 — Conspiracy Against Rights):
All defendants are charged with conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten, and intimidate persons (including clergy, staff, and congregants of the Cities Church) in the free exercise of their First Amendment right to religious freedom at a place of worship (protected under 18 U.S.C. § 248). The conspiracy allegedly began on an unknown date and continued through on or about January 18, 2026.
Count Two
(18 U.S.C. §§ 248(a)(2), (b), and 2(a) — Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act / FACE Act violation, with aiding and abetting):
All defendants are charged, aiding and abetting one another and others, with using force, threat of force, and physical obstruction to intentionally injure, intimidate, interfere with, and attempt to injure, intimidate, and interfere with persons (including congregants, clergy, and staff of the Cities Church) lawfully exercising their First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of worship. The conduct allegedly occurred on or about January 18, 2026, and resulted in bodily injury to one congregant.
Read the Indictment:
CASE-026-cr-00025-District of Minnesota -USA v Armstrong et al Indictment
The indictment alleges the actions of the nine constitute a conspiracy, “to injure, oppress, threaten, and intimidate multiple persons, including the clergy, staff, and congregants of the Cities Church.”
The conspiracy definition relies on “two or more people” agreeing to engage in the behavior the nine are accused of, which is supported by video and social media posts of those involved that show pre-protest planning and on-the-ground intimidation, in particular by Kelly, but also by Lemon.
Megyn Kelly made the case Lemon was an active participant:
Lemon was arrested, charged and released on Jan. 30. After leaving federal court in Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass was there to greet and support him.