A man suspected of shooting into a Democratic Party office in Tempe three times in nearly three weeks and posting bags of white powder labeled “poison” near political signs has been charged for the second time by a grand jury indicted.
Court records show that a Maricopa County Superior Court grand jury indicted Jeffrey Michael Kelly on Oct. 29 on four counts of unlawful use of an infectious biological substance or radiological agent. Each is a class 2 misdemeanor.
Police previously recommended Kelly be charged with three felony counts of making false terrorist threats.
A grand jury previously indicted Kelly on October 28 on the following charges:
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One count of terrorism, a class 2 misdemeanor.
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Three counts of discharging a firearm into a building, a class 3 misdemeanor.
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Three counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm, a class 6 felony.
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One count of criminal damage, a class 5 misdemeanor.
The latest indictment accuses Kelly of planting a “simulated biological substance” at the following locations in the Ahwatukee Foothills area on October 22:
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36th Street and East Chandler Boulevard.
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44th Street and East Chandler Boulevard.
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50th Street and East Ray Road.
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56th Street and Chandler Boulevard.
Initial tests showed the white powder in the bags was baking soda, the Maricopa County Prosecutor’s Office said.
Read the document: October 29 indictment against Jeffrey Michael Kelly
According to court documents, federal agents seized approximately 120 firearms, including “machine guns” and a grenade launcher, from Kelly’s home on the morning of October 23, along with approximately 250,000 rounds of ammunition.
A reporter learned that guns were found in a safe in the master bathroom and the words “machine gun” and silencers.
A prosecutor said during Kelly’s first appearance that agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also recovered numerous silencers and rifle scopes for various range levels, including long-range and body armor. The prosecutor added that some of the guns in Kelly’s home were loaded.
The weapons were placed in a moving van and taken away.
Police investigation revealed a makeshift board workshop
That search also uncovered a makeshift sign workshop on the patio of Kelly’s home, according to an additional court document. Authorities found a table of what the document described as “sign making materials,” including glue guns, cans of spray paint, glitter and a random assortment of compact discs.
Part of the sign factory was left in Kelly’s backyard during the search. A reporter for the Arizona Republic saw what appeared to be a homemade sign with the words: “Legalize Murder” and “Yes on 139.”
Proposition 139, on the November ballot, would enshrine the right to abortion in the Arizona Constitution.
The colors, font and typography were a rough approximation of the signs posted by the campaign advocating for the proposal to be introduced. An official “Yes to 139” sign was seen in Kelly’s backyard, near the homemade one.
In Kelly’s bedroom, authorities found notebooks with slogans that would appear on signs Kelly would later create, along with notes on where they would be located, according to court records. According to the document, some slogans said “razor” or “powder” next to them.
The initial charges of making false terrorist threats prompted a judge to add a second $500,000 bond during Kelly’s second initial appearance on Oct. 23, on top of the $500,000 bond he had received on the other charges related to the murder . shooting up the Democratic Party office, meaning he would have to pay $1 million in cash to get out of jail.
Prosecutors called Kelly’s posting of the signs an escalation of political violence and said investigators believed he was “preparing to commit an act of mass casualty.”
An attorney for Kelly, Jason Squires, said he “completely and categorically denied” the government’s allegations against Kelly, describing his client as a “sportsman” who participates in shooting competitions.
“Yes, to some people 120 firearms sounds creepy,” Squires said. “For people who participate in the sport, this is not so inappropriate.”
Kelly’s next scheduled hearing is Nov. 6 at 8:30 a.m. in Maricopa County Superior Court.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Jeffrey Michael Kelly charged with unlawful use of infectious agents
