A Kootenai County jury found five members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front guilty of conspiracy to riot in July 2023. The verdict came after approximately one hour of deliberation, more than a year after 31 members of the group were arrested near a Pride event in Coeur d’Alene.
The five defendants — Forrest Rankin, Devin Center, Derek Smith, James Michael Johnson, and Robert Whitted — were among the men found packed into a U-Haul truck in June 2022 with riot gear, shields, and plans to disrupt the Pride in the Park celebration.
The convictions marked the conclusion of a case that had drawn national attention and raised questions about extremist activity in North Idaho. Many of the original 31 defendants had their cases resolved through plea agreements or other proceedings prior to the trial.