American Individual Linked to Aussie Gunmen Strikes Plea Deal with Federal Attorneys
A US man associated with the culprits behind the fatal Wieambilla, Australia attack that claimed six lives – including two officers from Queensland – has agreed to a less severe plea deal.
Arizona-based Donald Day Jr. will appear in court on 21 October after finalizing the bargain with US prosecutors.
The individual with prior convictions, known online as “Geronimo's Bones”, is expected to admit guilt to a sole offense of illegally owning guns and bullets in a arrangement to be approved by the judiciary in the current month.
Links to Australian Shooters
Authorities confirmed direct links between the defendant and Gareth and Stacey Train through online posts.
The Trains, along with Gareth’s brother Nathaniel, murdered Queensland police officers Arnold and McCrow, and neighbor Alan Dare at a isolated location in Wieambilla in 2022.
They were fatally shot in a gun battle with police, following a extended standoff at the rural site.
US prosecutors stated the accused communicated via online platforms with the perpetrators around the time of the fatal attack.
Day referred to Queensland officers as “evil, corrupt, and wicked”, and said they should be shown “no mercy whatsoever”, informing the Trains he wanted to be at the scene physically.
Legal filings outlined how Gareth and Stacey Train had uploaded an apocalyptic video on YouTube after the shootings, saying authorities “came to kill us and we killed them”.
“Failing to stand against these evil forces makes one a coward … We will meet you at home, Don. With love,” the Trains expressed.
Weapons Stockpile and Court Case
Legal records show Day stockpiled a cache of multiple powerful guns and hundreds of rounds of ammo at a country estate in Heber, AZ, that was equipped with a gun range, weapons room and sniper hide.
“The firearms and ammunition were kept in the mobile home I shared with S.S., in a room we called the ‘gun room’,” he admitted in the agreement submitted in the legal system.
He said he regularly accessed both the weapons storage and the weapons, and also instructed others on how to use the firearms properly.
The plea deal will result in dismissed counts that relate to the accused making of threats to public figures and federal agents.
According to court documents, Day had been banned from owning guns and arms because of his history of violent crimes.
The defendant, who has served two years in custody, could receive a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison or a fine of $250,000 (A$381,500), but the agreement stipulates he will be judged under the low end of the sentencing guidelines.
