A man linked to white supremacist movements has pleaded guilty to setting a fire that destroyed an office at a historic social justice center in Tennessee, according to a court document filed in the case.
The defendant, Regan Prater, entered the guilty plea on Monday in connection with the blaze at the Highlander center, which has long been associated with social justice organizing and with figures tied to the US civil rights movement.
The case also includes a second guilty plea. Prater admitted to attempting to aid a foreign terrorist organization in a separate effort involving the militant group Hezbollah.
According to a criminal information filed in February, that charge stemmed from an attempt to provide Hezbollah with “a list of personally identifiable information for individuals purportedly affiliated with the government of Israel”.
The court record says Prater pleaded guilty to both matters. His sentencing is scheduled for September.
The Highlander center has a significant place in Tennessee’s history as a site connected to civil rights and social justice work. The arson destroyed an office at the center, adding to the seriousness of a case that now spans both domestic extremist violence and an alleged terrorism-related offense.
The guilty plea marks a major development in the prosecution, though the court document does not provide additional details about the circumstances of the fire or the specific terms of any agreement. The sentencing hearing later this year is expected to determine the next stage of the case.
