A man from the eastern Minnesota city of Braham is facing 21 felony charges related to several incidents that occurred over the past two years. The felonies are related to weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. It is thought that the incidents in question are related to the man’s divorce from his wife.
The incident at the forefront of the case involves the man sending envelopes that contained white powder to the Pine County courthouse. Police report that the man sent the six envelopes on Nov. 19, forcing an evacuation of the premises. The man was arrested in relation to the incident on Dec. 12.
The man had been under investigation for some time, as he was suspected of making other terrorist threats and using weapons of mass destruction that were either simulated or real. The troubles allegedly began in September 2012, when his ex-wife’s attorney received a threat during divorce proceedings. After the man was hit with a protective order, the attorney received a letter containing white powder and a death threat. The attorney withdrew from representing the woman, but that did not prevent the man from allegedly leaving what appeared to be a bomb on the driveway of the attorney’s neighbor. The man then called police to his home three separate times during August 2012 to inspect suspicious liquid containers at the end of his driveway. He told authorities that his ex-wife’s new boyfriend had probably put them there. Over the next few months, police learned that the man had made two phony bomb threats, sent threatening messages to people, claimed to have been kidnapped on two separate occasions and told a friend that he had created chemical bombs. It is thought that the man claimed to be a victim on several occasions in order to repair his reputation with friends and family.
Twenty-one felony counts is a fairly severe charge. While it’s unclear at the moment what kind of sentence the man could face, his defense attorneys may be able to get some of the charges dismissed or reduced. This man does deserve his day in court, and a judge may be more lenient on him depending on the arguments that the defense presents.
Source: kstp.com, “Pine Co. Man Charged with 21 Terrorism-Related Felonies” Megan Stewart, Dec. 16, 2013
