Marine Accused Of Throwing Molotov Cocktail At Costa Mesa Planned Parenthood

COSTA MESA, CA — Two Orange County men were arrested Wednesday morning on federal charges of firebombing a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa last year, the Department of Justice announced.

Irvine resident Tibet Ergul, 21, and active-duty Marine Chance Brannon, 23, of San Juan Capistrano, were arrested by agents with the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service on Wednesday morning.

The two are accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the entrance of the Planned Parenthood at 1520 Nutmeg Place in the early hours of March 13, 2022, according to an affidavit from FBI Special Agent Jennifer Hirsch.

The arrests come roughly six months after a $25,000 reward was offered by federal authorities for information leading to the arrests.

The reward was offered "as a part of a national effort to bring awareness to a series of attacks and threats targeting reproductive health service facilities across the country," an FBI statement said.

RELATED: Suspects Sought For Arson Attack On Orange County Planned Parenthood

The clinic was "forced to close and cancel dozens of appointments," Hirsch said. Clinic employees noted to investigators that about 30 appointments had to be rescheduled.

According to the report, Ergul "texted an acquaintance, taking credit for the fire and noting that he wished he 'could've recorded the combustion'" a day after the attack, Hirsch said.

Ergul sent a photograph to an "acquaintance" showing "his gloved hand holding the Molotov cocktail from inside Brannon's car," Hirsch said.

Surveillance video from the clinic shows the two approach the building about 12:55 a.m., Hirsch said. They wore hooded sweatshirts and masks, Hirsch said.

The estimated damage to the building cost about $1,050 to fix, Hirsch said.

In January, the FBI offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest of suspects, prompting a call from a witness who called the FBI in April, Hirsch said.

The witness, who was friends with the suspects in high school, said Ergul sent text messages admitting his involvement in the bombing, Hirsch alleged.

According to Hirsch, the text message read, "Boom (fire emoji)" at "1500 Blk nutmeg plaza... Costa Mesa health center/Planned Parenthood clinic."

The FBI agent also said that Ergul was arrested Oct. 21, 2022, in Tempe, Arizona, on suspicion of aggravated assault, unlawful imprisonment and criminal damage after "punching his roommate in the nose and breaking the doorknob so she could not leave their shared apartment."

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada called the alleged firebombing a "brazen attack" on a clinic that "provides critical health care services to thousands of people in Orange County. While it is fortunate that no one was physically harmed and responders were able to prevent the clinic from being destroyed, the defendants' violent actions are entirely unacceptable."

City News Service contributed to this report.