Kingsley man charged with firearms felonies
Aug. 11—TRAVERSE CITY — Authorities charged a Kingsley man with felony firearms violations after he allegedly threatened his family with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.
Grand Traverse County Sheriff's deputies arrested Lucas Lamar Peters, 40, on Aug. 1 when they responded to a suspected domestic assault at a rural home near Kingsley. Prosecutors later charged Peters with felony firearms use and carrying a firearm with unlawful intent, plus lying to a law enforcement officer — a high court misdemeanor.
A conviction could carry a possible sentence up to five years in state prison and a $2,500 fine, plus forfeiture of the weapon.
Chief Magistrate Tammi Rodgers of the 86th District Court arraigned Peters on Aug. 2 after setting a $50,000 cash surety bond the day prior, court records show.
A probable cause affidavit on file with the district court shows Peters called 911 to report a domestic assault, but an emergency dispatcher overheard a woman in the background tell him to "put the gun down."
Deputy Isaac Hearld reported in court documents that he arrived and found the defendant's wife, who said she'd come home from work and found her husband yelling at their children. Records show she decided to leave with the children and told authorities Peters then said: "If you're going to take the kids I might as well kill us all."
That's when he retrieved an AR-15 rifle from the bedroom; both his wife and one child told deputies they saw Peters holding the rifle, while a second child said his father regularly threatens to kill the whole family and did so again that day, the affidavit shows.
Hearld reported to the court that Peters denied being in possession of the AR-15 rifle.
Neither Grand Traverse County Prosecuting Attorney Noelle Moeggenberg nor defense attorney Frederik Stig-Nielsen of Frankfort could be reached this week for comment on the case.
Records show Peters posted bond and authorities released him from Grand Traverse County Jail. Court officials scheduled Peters for a probable cause conference by Aug. 16, to be followed by a preliminary examination before Judge Robert Cooney on Aug. 23.
