Two men from Virginia Beach, including an assistant principal at a local high school, have been arrested on charges of conspiring to commit violence against law enforcement officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
According to Virginia Beach police, John W. Bennett, 54, who works as an assistant principal at Kempsville High School, and his brother Mark B. Bennett, 59, face one count each of conspiracy to commit malicious wounding. A spokesperson for Virginia Beach City Public Schools confirmed that John Bennett has been with the school district since 2009 and is currently on leave.
John Bennett was taken into custody in Virginia Beach on Wednesday morning at 10:47 a.m., while Mark Bennett was arrested the same day at Norfolk International Airport at 9:42 a.m., with assistance from airport police.
The investigation began after an off-duty Norfolk police officer overheard the two brothers discussing law enforcement and ICE agents while dining at a restaurant on General Booth Boulevard in Virginia Beach on November 15. According to a criminal complaint filed in Virginia Beach General District Court, the officer heard them talking about ICE agents “kidnapping individuals” and believed they intended to take action as a result of their conversation.
Authorities allege that the brothers planned to travel to Las Vegas to meet with others who shared similar views before carrying out their plan.
“John Bennett is employed as an assistant principal at Kempsville High School. A spokesperson for Virginia Beach City Public Schools said he has worked for the division since 2009 and is currently on leave.”
He was arrested in Virginia Beach at 10:47 a.m. Wednesday. On the same morning, Nov. 19, Mark Bennett was taken into custody at Norfolk International Airport at 9:42 a.m. with help from airport police.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Virginia Beach General District Court, an off-duty Norfolk police officer overheard the two brothers while dining inside a Pho restaurant on General Booth Boulevard on Nov. 15.
The officer reported hearing the men talk about ICE agents “kidnapping individuals” and said the conversation led him to believe the brothers “needed to do something about it.”
