A 30-year-old man believed to be homeless was arrested and charged with the commission of an act of terrorism following a threat he allegedly emailed to a music minister at St. Louis Catholic Church in Memphis, Tenn., claiming he wanted to “butcher” people in the church with a machete.
Zachary Liberto is currently being held at the Shelby County Jail on a $200,100 bond. A hearing date is pending.
In Tennessee, the crime is a Class A felony and a conviction can result in a prison sentence of 15 to 60 years.
On March 20, Memphis police said Liberto had been in “a verbal altercation” at the church with a music minister they did not name, involving Liberto allegedly throwing trash into the baptismal font.
The criminal charge stems from an email Liberto allegedly sent later. It stated, “I need a video of (one of the pastors) getting slapped by you in 24 hours before I butcher people in that church with a machete.”
The police report said Liberto was “known to have a machete he refers to as ‘chete’ and the suspect has also mentioned that he has a firearm as well although it has not been seen.”
Investigators also had a recording by a parishioner who spoke by phone to Liberto. On it, he was heard saying, “I will not (obscenity) let people threaten and mock me all day and not go (obscenity) do something about it.”
Police said they were told that Liberto “stays in a homeless encampment somewhere along the Greenline,” the paved trail that bisects the city.
The church in East Memphis was founded in 1957, and its building was dedicated the following year. It was extensively remodeled in 2011.
Rick Ouellette, a spokesperson with the Diocese of Memphis, said the incident occurred “after school and work hours.”
In a statement, he added, “The incident is also a reminder to everyone that our St. Louis parish has a solid safety and security plan in place, as do our 46 parishes and 13 schools in West Tennessee.”
He concluded, “Our church prays for all involved … as one of our six priorities is about being ‘Steeped in Mercy.'”
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