A 38-year-old Alabama man accused of making a series of threats toward a Roman Catholic abbey in Silverado Canyon has pleaded guilty to possessing brass knuckles.
Joshua Michael Richardson pleaded guilty to two felony counts of possession of a deadly weapon, metal knuckles, according to court records. Richardson is scheduled to be sentenced March 27 at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Mike Murray ordered Richardson held without bail until Thursday morning, when he would be released on his own recognizance, according to court records.
Richardson was originally charged with a felony count of criminal threats, a felony count of possessing brass knuckles, a felony count of possessing a dirk or dagger, and a misdemeanor count of possession of a large-capacity magazine.
Investigators were able to use cellphone data to track Richardson down Aug. 28 in Santa Monica, a day after the mass shooting at a Minneapolis Roman Catholic church.
When his car was searched investigators found six 30-round, high-capacity rifle magazines, two brass knuckles, a Ka-Bar knife, dagger, sheathed sword, a stun gun, body armor, duct tape, rope, two weapon-mounted light and lasers, four walkie-talkie handled radios, tactical flashlights, medical equipment, tactical gear, a laptop and a smart phone, prosecutors said.
Deputy District Attorney Kelly Manley argued in court papers earlier this month that Richardson should be denied bail.
Richardson was arrested Aug. 28 on suspicion of criminal threats aimed at St. Michael’s Abbey, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Richardson was accused of sending threatening emails to the abbey at 27977 Silverado Canyon Road, Manley said.
In an Aug. 19 email, Richardson allegedly characterized himself as “The Angel of Death,” Manley said.
“My seal was broken on St. Patrick’s Day,” he allegedly wrote. “I spent the entire summer trying to reach out to the people to no avail. I was definitely the voice in the wilderness, crying out, and no one heard me. But it is now harvest season, and I will be making my way to L.A. really soon.”
Richardson allegedly wrote that he noticed the abbey had a “chapel in my name,” according to Manley.
“So I’m hoping you already know all about me and my purpose as the rider of the pale horse,” he allegedly wrote, according to Manley, referring to one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Church officials said they receive “bizarre or concerning emails every so often,” but this one was “particularly alarming due to their biblical references,” Manley wrote in court papers.
A sheriff’s chaplain also reviewed the email and noted that St. Michael the Archangel “is the only angel/archangel credited with defeating Lucifer,” Manley wrote in the motion. As such, his task is to “defeat Satan,” the chaplain noted.
The reference to the seal broken on St. Patrick’s Day is about judgment day, according to Manley’s motion.
Richardson was seen by a priest at the abbey on Aug. 26 sitting alone in a pew, Manley said. When services were finished the defendant followed the priest into a restricted area, Manley said.
Richardson told the priest “that he came to do the Lord’s work, to separate the wheat from the weeds, and that he rode his pale horse from Alabama to the church,” Manley said.
“He said that it was ‘Time to harvest,’ ” Manley wrote.
Richardson allegedly told the priest that when no one responded to his email he came to the church, Manley said.
When Richardson left the church, the priest alerted law enforcement.
The priest interpreted Richardson’s comments as a threat to “determine who is just and will live and who is condemned and will die,” Manley said.
Many of the biblical references including the rider of the pale horse, come from the Book of Revelation, which is ostensibly about the second coming of Christ and judgment day has also been viewed by many as an allegorical commentary on first century Christianity and Rome.
Richardson also allegedly wrote a letter titled, “Articles of War,” Manley said.
In the letter, he said he was not aiming to overthrow the government, “only the corruption within it,” according to Manley, who said he also wrote, “Any found guilty of treason will be executed. Their sins will be washed away by the waters of liberty. Any found guilty of truly heinous crimes. Those that sought to destroy the people and to the nation. They will be purged from the land, executed by fire.”
Richardson allegedly told investigators he was “insulted” there was no response to his email to the abbey “since the church was named after him,” Manley said.
Richardson allegedly told the investigators that he believed the end of the world would happen before Sept. 28 or Oct. 31, Manley said.
Richardson has prior arrests and convictions in Alabama for domestic violence, disorderly conduct and failing to appear in court dating back to March 2011, Manley said.
Man accused of threatening Catholic abbey in Silverado Canyon is denied bail