A judge raised the bond for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s ex-boyfriend and former bodyguard after accusations he trashed Sinema’s house, threatened her and then asked her to bond him out of jail.
Matthew Ammel, 39, was arraigned in Maricopa County Superior Court on Oct. 12. Judge Barbara Spencer raised his bond to $100,000 in cash, up from the $25,000 bond that was set before.
Ammel was accused of going on a violent rampage in Sinema’s Cave Creek home while she was out of town. Prosecutors allege he threw 22 paintings in her swimming pool, smashed expensive bottles of alcohol and destroyed a mirror and wall clock.
Ammel also is the man at the center of a “homewrecker” lawsuit brought against Sinema by his ex-wife in North Carolina. The suit alleges that
Sinema, who is not married, broke up the Ammels' marriage.
Ammel appeared in court on Oct. 12 wearing a gray striped jail uniform that read "SHERIFF'S INMATE" across the back in red letters. His wrists and ankles were shackled. He spoke little, answering "Yes, your honor," when the judge addressed him.
Sinema attended the hearing virtually, according to a victim's advocate lawyer.
Ammel is facing one count of criminal property damage, a class 4 felony in Arizona. He pleaded not guilty.
Maricopa County prosecutors asked the judge to raise Ammel’s bond to $100,000 in cash, saying he was a danger to Sinema and the broader community. They accused Ammel of threatening to "decapitate" a North Carolina judge and "kill his entire family" in text messages, among other threats.
After he trashed Sinema's house, Ammel was initially released with an ankle monitor in mid-September, but he got arrested again after he got caught bringing a large military-style knife to a gun store on Sept. 29.
Ammel has been in a Maricopa County jail ever since. Sinema asked a judge to quickly raise Ammel’s bond or make him non-bondable after he allegedly contacted her through a bail bondsman and asked her to post his $25,000 bond.
In raising the bond, Spencer said Ammel clearly violated his pretrial release conditions by allegedly trying to contact Sinema and having a knife.
At the hearing, victim's advocate Valli Goss asked the judge to consider the danger that she believed Ammel posed to Sinema and the broader community. She pointed to the alleged threats that Ammel made against Sinema and others in text messages.
"It's really about whether the court will act on unmistakable warning signs," Goss said, saying Ammel could attack someone or commit a homicide.
Ammel's public defender, Katy Walter, argued that some of the text messages that prosecutors referenced were from before the date of his alleged crime. The texts reflected Ammel's mental health issues, Walter added.
Ammel is a former Green Beret who struggles with brain injuries and PTSD from his time in the military. He deployed overseas to target terrorists tied to Al Qaeda and Isis, he told The Republic.
According to court records, Sinema posted Ammel’s bond in 2025 when he was charged with a felony in North Carolina. He was accused of strangling medical staff while he was involuntarily committed at a mental health facility.
If Ammel was able to post his $100,000 bond, the judge said he would be placed under house arrest and ordered to stay in Arizona. He would be barred from having any weapons, alcohol or non-prescription drugs.
Stephanie Murray covers national politics and the Trump administration for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. She co-hosts “The Gaggle,” The Republic’s weekly politics podcast. Reach her at stephanie.murray@usatodayco.com, on X and TikTok @stephanie_murr and on Instagram @stephaniemurray.news.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Judge raises bond for Sinema's ex-boyfriend and former bodyguard
