Pro-Trump election conspiracist arrested for pulling gun on repairman in bogus vigilante 'sting'

Conspiracy theorist accepts more than $200,000 from group run by former Republican party county chairman

A former Houston police captain has been arrested after running a man off the road and holding him at gunpoint in an attempt to prove his 2020 election conspiracy theories.  

The incident occurred in Harris County, Texas on Tuesday when Mark Anthony Aguirre, 63, ran his SUV into the back of a truck he suspected of hiding hundreds of thousands of fraudulent ballots. When the technician pulled off the road and left his truck, Mr Aguirre allegedly pointed a handgun at the man, forced him to the ground, and put a knee on his back.  

Another suspect who police have not identified took the truck to a nearby parking lot. Police arrived at the scene and arrested Mr Aguirre. The truck was filled with air conditioning parts, as the driver was a repairman.  

Mr Aguirre told police he carried out the action on behalf of a group of private citizens called "Liberty Centre for God and Country."

According to court documents, the group was conducting a "civilian investigation" into election fraud. The group paid Mr Aguirre $266,400 for allegedly attacking the repairman.  

The group - which peddles in conspiracy theory and whose website blends reactionary ideology with Christian and nationalist language - is run by Jared Woodfill, a lawyer and former chairman of the Harris County Republican Party.  

Mr Aguirre told police he had been conducting surveillance on the truck for four days under the assumption that the driver was transporting 750,000 fake ballots with his truck.  

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg criticised Mr Aguirre for his shoddy investigation and subsequent action.  

"He crossed the line from dirty politics to commission of a violent crime and we are lucky no one was killed," Ms Ogg said. "His alleged investigation was backward from the start - first alleging a crime had occurred and then trying to prove it happened."  

Prior to carrying out his alleged attack, Mr Aguirre went to local authorities in Harris County, Texas to make pre-election claims that massive voter fraud was occurring.  

The Houston Police and elements of the Harris County Election Security Task Force investigated the claims and "found them to be baseless."  

Mr Aguirre was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, which is a second-degree felony.  

He faces up to 20 years in prison.