Gainesville man who “espoused antisemitic views” arrested for stalking after allegedly plotting to attack AIPAC office in South Florida

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Forrest Kendall Pemberton, 26, of Gainesville, has been charged with stalking by the FBI after allegedly plotting an attack of an AIPAC office in Plantation, FL.

Pemberton’s father reported that he was missing on December 23

According to federal and Alachua County court documents, Pemberton’s father contacted the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) on December 23 to report that his son was missing. He said that when he texted his son, Forrest told him to look in a backpack in his room, and he found a “concerning” note in the backpack that seemed to be a final goodbye. When he sent another text asking Forrest what he was doing, he said his son replied that he could not tell them where he was going or what he was doing.

The note reportedly “espoused anti-authority sentiments” and told his family that reporting his absence would cause problems for them. The GPD officer reported, “Forrest often cited extreme rightwing neo-Nazi type statements and has shown anti-authority tendencies.” Pemberton’s father also reportedly said that Forrest “espoused antisemitic views.”

Fears that he planned to assassinate a CEO

Pemberton’s father told the responding GPD officer that he believed his son was last home at about 11 a.m. on December 22 and that he realized he was gone at about 12:30 p.m. on December 23. Pemberton’s father was concerned that, based on the note and Google searches on his desktop computer (including searches for Blackrock, the World Economic Forum, and the CEOs of the Blackstone Group and Blackrock), he could do something similar to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Family members reportedly described Pemberton as “socially awkward, anti-establishment, and anti-government” and said he owned several firearms. His search history also included the IRS; the Social Security Administration; AIPAC (American Israeli Public Affairs Committee; Irvington, AL with no specific address; an assassination technique involving poison and an umbrella; and “how to place a 2008 Ford F-150 in cruise control.” There was a also a search for a specific address in Plantation (the former office of AIPAC) and directions for a direct route from Pemberton’s home to that address; the organization has reportedly moved, but the address is still associated with AIPAC in Google Maps. Pemberton’s father said Forrest did not have any vehicles registered under his name, does not drive an F-150, and left the vehicle he drives at the house.

Pemberton’s family told the officer they believed several guns were missing from his room, including an AR-15-style rifle in a soft case, a 9mm Luger pistol, and a Galil rifle, along with his laptop.

Family members reportedly gave the officer screenshots of four ATM transactions in Plantation.

Records show Pemberton in Plantation and then Tallahassee

Records obtained by the FBI showed that Pemberton had recently logged in to his Discord account from a hotel in Plantation, and further investigation revealed that Pemberton had checked into the hotel on December 22 and checked out on December 23. Hotel video surveillance reportedly showed Pemberton and a Ford F-150.

On December 24, an Emergency Disclosure from Uber indicated that Pemberton had been picked up at an auto repair shop in Tallahassee and dropped off at a Red Roof Inn. FBI agents spoke to the hotel clerk and learned that Pemberton carried what appeared to be a soft guitar case, a backpack, and some plastic bags. Pemberton’s father told the FBI that Pemberton does not have a guitar and does not play the guitar.

The FBI conducted physical surveillance of the Red Roof Inn, resulting in a traffic stop of a rideshare vehicle that Pemberton had just entered, carrying what appeared to be a soft rifle case. During that encounter, Pemberton reportedly turned over the AR-15-style rifle, Luger pistol, and Galil rifle to law enforcement.

Pemberton said he walked to Ocala and bought F-150 for $400 before driving to Plantation

Law enforcement conducted a non-custodial interview with Pemberton on December 26, and Pemberton reportedly said he walked from Gainesville to Ocala, where he purchased a Ford F-150 for $400 (the F-150 had been reported stolen out of Gainesville on December 23). Pemberton reportedly admitted driving to AIPAC’s former location in Plantation under the guise of “volunteership”; he said he went there to “scout” the location, with the intention of returning later with firearms.

When asked if he would commit a mass casualty event and then take his own life, he reportedly said, “Um, I really don’t know if I was gonna end it with my life or not. I hadn’t gotten that far yet. It entirely depended if I ended up getting caught or not. If caught, that was a way out.”

Pemberton reportedly said the purpose of the firearms was “twofold… Like I said before, sell ’em if I need ’em, but otherwise they can be used for criminal intent if I wanted to, which was my intention, such as harming another individual.” Pemberton reportedly said he chose AIPAC because of its “political influence” and its location; he said his motivation was frustration with the “status quo” and “see[ing] if I could make a change.” He said he ultimately decided against committing a criminal act against AIPAC, saying, “It would have been a one-way ticket. In Plantation, I decided I wasn’t ready. I gave up.”

Pemberton reportedly confirmed that the letter found by his family was a “goodbye” letter and that he had taken four loaded AR-style magazines and four loaded Luger magazines when he left his house, along with the firearms.

FBI filed stalking charge, GPD has applied for Risk Protection Order

The FBI found probable cause that Pemberton “used the internet to identify and locate [AIPAC] and other possible victims and traveled to Plantation, Florida, armed, to [AIPAC’s] location, with the purpose of killing, injuring, harassing and intimidating persons within [AIPAC’s] location” and charged him with stalking. Pemberton was booked into the Alachua County jail on December 28 but has been moved to a different facility.

Gainesville Police Department, with the support of Pemberton’s father, has applied for a Risk Protection Order, prohibiting Pemberton from possessing any firearms.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.