Matthew Ammel, the former bodyguard to ex-Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema, has been charged with felony criminal damage after allegedly causing more than $200,000 worth of destruction at her home in Cave Creek.
Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies said the damage occurred on 30 August while Ms Sinema was out of town. Court documents allege that Ammel demanded she post a video on X and threatened to damage one of her paintings every 10 minutes if she refused.
When she did not comply, he allegedly removed 22 paintings from the walls and threw them into the swimming pool. Another painting was reportedly found near the front entrance with black lettering spray-painted across it.
Investigators also allege that bottles of alcohol were smashed inside the property and that a glass bottle was thrown at a large mirror, shattering it. Deputies said several paintings were found at the bottom of the pool or floating on its surface.
The paintings were valued at about $123,015, while the total damage to the artwork, house and swimming pool was estimated to exceed $200,000, according to investigators.
Deputies said Ms Sinema provided text messages, video recordings and security footage. Investigators who reviewed parts of the footage identified Ammel as the person allegedly damaging the property.
Ammel, 39, was arrested in September after being released from a behavioural health facility, where he had been held while a petition for an involuntary psychiatric evaluation was considered. He was later released with an electronic monitor.
At his first court appearance, a judge described the case as one count of criminal damage, a class four felony. Ammel was not brought before the judge in person after deputies said he was combative in a courthouse hallway.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 5 October. The allegations have not been proven in court.
