Arizona man accused of planning mass shooting to start 'race war' arrested in New Mexico

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – An Arizona man accused of planning a mass shooting to start a “race war” has been arrested in New Mexico, federal authorities say.

Mark Adams Prieto, 58, of Prescott, was charged Tuesday with firearms trafficking, transferring a firearm for use in a hate crime and possession of an unregistered firearm, the office wrote from the United States Attorney for Arizona in a press release.

Prieto allegedly had discussions with two people who worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about his plan to carry out the shooting to incite a race war ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The shooting was allegedly planned to target a “rap concert” at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 14 and 15 because there would be a high concentration of African Americans at the concert, according to court documents .

Discussions about the mass shooting allegedly took place between Prieto and the two government agents at gun shows in Phoenix, Prescott Valley and Tucson, Arizona, between January 2024 and May 2024. Court documents indicated that Prieto allegedly planned to carry out the attack with the two government infiltrators.

In April, Prieto told the two government agents that he wanted to push the mass shooting to a later date and possibly change the location of the attack to a mosque, according to court documents.

Prieto allegedly sold two rifles to one of the individuals, an AK-style rifle on February 25 and an AR-style rifle on March 24.

Prieto was stopped by law enforcement on May 14 while driving east from Arizona through New Mexico along Interstate 40, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Arizona. Officials did not say which law enforcement agency arrested Prieto, but said law enforcement discovered Prieto was in possession of seven firearms and ammunition and was taken into custody federal.

Law enforcement also conducted a search warrant at Prieto's Prescott Valley home that he shared with another man and found other firearms, including an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, according to court documents.

After his arrest, court documents say Prieto told authorities he was traveling to visit his mother in Florida and would not go to Atlanta. He also reportedly admitted to having prior discussions about carrying out an attack at a concert in Atlanta, but said he had no intention of carrying it out.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said each conviction for gun trafficking and transferring a firearm for use in a hate crime carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. A conviction for possession of an unregistered firearm carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or both.