Judge raises bond for Sinema's ex-lover over release violations

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 12 Oct, 23:31 · Archive

A judge raised bond to £100,000 cash-only for Matthew Ammel after he allegedly violated release conditions including possessing a weapon and threatening retired senator Kyrsten Sinema.

Matthew Ammel, retired U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's former bodyguard and ex-lover, had his bond raised to £100,000 cash-only by Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner Barbara Spencer on Monday after he allegedly violated release conditions. Ammel is accused of breaking into Sinema's Cave Creek home in late August and destroying over £200,000 worth of property. He was arrested on 18 September and released under conditions prohibiting contact with Sinema or possession of weapons. He pleaded not guilty to the one count of criminal damage.

On 29 September, Ammel was arrested again after investigators said he visited a firearm retailer in Phoenix with a large hunting-style knife to be engraved and attempted to contact Sinema. He is also accused of saying he would 'take down' Sinema and allegedly threatened a judge and officers in a separate case in North Carolina. The state claimed in court that Ammel reached out to a bail bondsman to contact Sinema to post bond for him and pointed to alleged text threats reading 'she needs to pay' and 'I'm taking her down no matter what it takes'.

A lawyer for the state argued that 'a high cash-only bond is the only way to protect the victim and the community, and to ensure he complies with court orders', despite acknowledging it seemed disproportionate to the charge. Ammel's lawyer disputed the bond as 'excessive' and said that Ammel is seeking mental treatment while in custody.

How it is being reported

• Judge raises bond for Sinema’s ex-lover after alleged release-condition violationsMatthew Ammel pleaded not guilty to the one count of criminal damage on Monday.KOLD · 12 Oct, 21:09
• Judge raises bond for Sinema’s ex-lover after alleged release-condition violationsMatthew Ammel pleaded not guilty to the one count of criminal damage on Monday.Azfamily · 12 Oct, 21:09

In this story: Matthew Ammel · Kyrsten Sinema · Maricopa County · Cave Creek · Phoenix · North Carolina

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem