Matthew Ammel, a former bodyguard and romantic partner of ex-Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, has been arrested after allegedly threatening to “take down” the former politician. The arrest came about a month after he was accused of causing roughly $200,000 in damage to her home.
Ammel, 39, was taken into custody Tuesday in a Cheesecake Factory parking lot in Phoenix after police were alerted by his GPS monitoring device, The Arizona Republic reported.
Officers arrested him near a gun shop after he dropped off a knife described by authorities as a “large, military style” blade. He had reportedly brought it in to be engraved as a gift for his nephew’s Marine Corps boot camp graduation.
Court documents reviewed by KPHO allege that Ammel, who is involved in a custody battle with his former wife, attempted to buy a firearm, threatened to kill a judge in North Carolina and warned that he would “take down” Sinema, the former independent senator.
Ammel served in the Army in Iraq and Afghanistan before joining Sinema’s security detail in 2022. After his Sept. 17 arrest over the alleged destruction of Sinema’s Cave Creek property, he was released under a no-contact order.
Authorities say he violated that order just two days later by attempting to have an acquaintance contact the former senator on his behalf.
Sinema, 50, reported the alleged violation to police on Sept. 22, but Maricopa County prosecutors said she declined to assist with the case.
A judge initially set Ammel’s bond at $25,000. Prosecutors are seeking to raise it to $100,000 in cash, citing the alleged death threats.
“The state fears [Ammel] will escalate his retaliation if released,” Maricopa County Deputy Attorney Bryn Barasha wrote in a court filing.
Prosecutors also alleged that Ammel contacted military acquaintances to build a rifle, bought tactical equipment and discussed funeral arrangements. The filing did not provide additional context about those claims.
Ammel declined to appear in court for his arraignment Thursday. The hearing has been rescheduled for Oct. 15.
He also faces a felony criminal-damage charge stemming from the alleged destruction of Sinema’s Cave Creek home on Aug. 30. Authorities estimate the damage at approximately $200,000.
Ammel has said he vandalized the property because he had become disillusioned with the state of American politics.
“I was p—-d at the system,” he told The Arizona Republic. “I took it out on her art.”
“The American people have no idea how [f–ked] up our government is, and, like what our politicians spend their time doing.”
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Ammel, who says he is dealing with the effects of brain injuries, insisted that he is not dangerous.
“I’m not crazy. I’m just really smart, and I have seen behind the curtains,” he said.
He claimed he damaged Sinema’s home after she refused to share a video showing soldiers assisting a wounded man in Iraq.
Ammel said he wanted Sinema to use her connections at the Pentagon to investigate why his military unit had not received the Presidential Unit Citation.
He also alleged, without identifying any companies, that Sinema “works for some of the companies that financially benefit from the genocide in Gaza.”
Ammel, who admitted he had been drinking, allegedly threatened to destroy a piece of her artwork every 10 minutes if she didn’t comply.
She refused, and he allegedly threw 22 paintings into her swimming pool, with the estimated damage coming to around $123,000.
Ammel also allegedly shattered several expensive alcohol bottles and destroyed one mirror, bringing damages to more than $200,000.
Sinema’s relationship with her former bodyguard became public after Ammel’s ex-wife of 14 years sued the former politician under North Carolina’s “homewrecker law.”
Heather Ammel accused Sinema of destroying her marriage with her ex-husband by sustaining an affair with him during their trips together around the world.
The affair broke out a little over a year after Ammel was hired to Sinema’s protection detail in 2022.
Sinema allegedly bought Ammel gifts and paid for him to receive psychedelic treatment during the home-wrecking relationship.
She invited him as a guest to a wedding and a Taylor Swift concert.
Sinema, the first openly bisexual person elected to Congress, admitted to having repeated sex with Ammel in cities across America beginning around Memorial Day 2024.
Sinema didn’t seek election in 2024.