Stockton woman pleads not guilty to defacing ICE building in Sacramento court
Minutes after she left Sacramento federal court Tuesday morning, Prism Atica explained why she chose to contest two charges related to an incident she freely admits.
Atica pleaded not guilty in the Robert T. Matsui U.S. Courthouse to two Class C misdemeanor charges. The charges relate to a March incident where Atica spray-painted the outside of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Stockton and took down an American flag there, which she discussed in interviews for this story.
Shortly before entering her plea, Megan T. Hopkins was appointed Atica’s defense attorney. This helped spur Atica’s not guilty plea, she explained as she stood outside court Tuesday with supporters around her. “Megan leaned over and whispered and said, ‘You should do this,’” Atica said.
It sets up a next court appearance of June 22. The two charges Atica faces carry possible sentences of 30 days in jail and $5,000 fines.
The day also was an example of a burgeoning trend in the greater Sacramento area, where activists like Atica have faced charges but also haven’t been quick to back down.
Who Atica is and why she’s facing charges
In an interview for this story on Monday, Atica explained that she had gone to the ICE building on March 4 and spray-painted on it, “Be you. All of you. — Prism.” She also said she took down the flag. “I was just like, ‘You don’t deserve to have the U.S. flag, like y’all are being jerks.’”
Atica is a 26-year-old Stockton resident who is active in social justice work. She volunteers with the People’s Empowerment Center, according to its CEO RC Thompson. Thompson said Atica is part of a wave of activism from younger generations.
“They’re feeling rage,” Thompson said. “They’re feeling betrayed by the government. And so when we see families broken apart … Prism has always been a person who has fought for families and fought for families to be together, no matter their sexual orientation or their immigrant status.”
Ezra Kottler, an assistant professor at University of the Pacific, said that Atica “really doing a lot of important work in the communities that she’s based in.”
Atica came out as non-binary in 2020 and trans femme in 2023. Until recently, she had long, flowing hair. She said she switched to a buzz cut after her hair was grabbed while she was detained at Sacramento County Main Jail in February, following a separate incident at Sacramento International Airport.
She faced charges in federal court Tuesday under the name Michael Wayne Cozzens. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremy D. Peterson made some effort to support Atica’s gender identity Tuesday. This included Peterson referring to her as “Miss” and apologizing when he at one point misgendered her.
It contrasted greatly with an appearance in Sacramento Superior Court on Monday that appeared to be related to the February airport incident. The judge in this case called Atica as Michael Cozzens and appeared indifferent to Atica’s identity. Atica faces misdemeanor charges of trespassing and resisting a peace officer in that case.
As she stood Tuesday morning outside the federal courtroom where she’d appeared before Peterson, Atica said happily that this was the first time a judge had acted this way toward her.
Who is supporting Atica
At least nine people showed up to federal court on Tuesday to support Atica, representing Camp For Justice, Sac Immigration Committee and Decarcerate Sacramento. The group was also supporting Joshua Masias, a Camp For Justice member who was facing misdemeanor charges.
Roughly half a dozen people were also in Sacramento Superior Court on Monday when Atica and Masias appeared to face charges there. “This is a bogus one, too,” Masias said before going into federal court on Tuesday. “It’s pretty much just more targeted harassment of protesters.”
Sisi Feay, a member of Camp For Justice, which demonstrates outside the John E. Moss Federal Building in Sacramento where ICE detainees are taken, was in attendance Tuesday as a supporter. She said her group came out to show support for Stockton protesters and that they supported her group as well.
Feay admitted to having pending charges of her own. “Like for the last month … month and a half, it’s been court every week for somebody else,” Feay said.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Atica walked happily through Sacramento following her court appearance Monday, saying hello to random people.
Atica said that her parents want her to use an insanity defense. She rejects this. “Genuinely, that’s just a lie,” Atica said. “Because even though it was a little bit in, like, a grandiose state, I stand behind everything I did.”
Atica’s father Spencer Cozzens travelled from his home in Utah and attended court with Atica both days. He said that he and Atica’s mother had paid their daughter’s legal defenses in the past, but that she didn’t want that this time.
Margaret McKenna of the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office was appointed to Atica’s case Monday. Hopkins, who was appointed to Atica’s federal case Tuesday, worked in the federal public defender’s office until last month and is now in private practice.
Spencer Cozzens watched somberly and with some concern Tuesday morning as his daughter chatted amiably with a federal prosecutor, prior to her court appearance. “I’m 100% convinced that she doesn’t understand the gravity,” Spencer Cozzens said. “She believes in a better world than what we have. And that’s where she chooses to live.”
Still, there was no question whatsoever to Spencer Cozzens to keep supporting his daughter.
“I could never not,” he said.
This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 11:51 AM.
