Armed potential threat to Obama behind bars

VIDEO - Joseph Sean McVey had a note in his car with formulas used for firing a rifle with a scope...

Apr 26, 2010

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (AP) — An Ohio man who authorities say was carrying a gun and driving a car loaded with law enforcement equipment when he said he wanted to see the president is a “public-service-minded” ham-radio, weather and police buff, acquaintances said Monday.

Joseph Sean McVey, who was spotted by police in an Asheville Regional Airport parking lot Sunday just after Air Force One departed, had a note in his car with formulas used for firing a rifle with a scope, authorities said.

McVey did not have a rifle with him, but the arrest was merited to ensure McVey was not a threat, said Jeff Augram, the airport’s public safety chief. Knowing McVey’s interests as a radio buff, weather enthusiast and sheriff’s volunteer helped explain many of the items found in his car, Augram said.

“In a post-9/11 culture, we have to take a pro-active posture,” Augram said, referring to the Sept. 11 attacks.

Acquaintances from his hometown of Coshocton, Ohio, suggested the whole episode may just be a misunderstanding involving a sometimes overly enthusiastic 23-year-old.

McVey, whose mother lives in Asheville, was being held under a $100,000 secured bond for the misdemeanor charge of going armed in terror of the public. If he posts bail, McVey would be released. The investigation was continuing, but Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley said he did not believe there was a federal agency that wanted him held.

On Monday, he wore a white jail jumpsuit, appeared calm and spoke in a steady voice for a court hearing via video conference. McVey faces up to 120 days in jail if convicted of the misdemeanor, District Judge Patricia Young said. She told him an attorney had agreed to represent him.

“I’d like to take advantage of the gentleman that you were notifying me about,” he responded.

Security was heightened at the Asheville airport Sunday because President Barack Obama was leaving after a weekend vacation.

At about 2 p.m. Sunday, airport police saw McVey get out of a car and saw that he had a sidearm, airport police Capt. Kevan Smith said. He was using a handheld scanner and radio to monitor local agencies and told an officer in the Asheville airport parking lot that he wanted to see the president, Smith said.

McVey was nowhere near the president’s plane, and was in a rental car return lot that is open to the public, Smith said.

McVey’s car was equipped with police gear, including a siren box, a mounted digital camera and LED law enforcement-style strobe lights in the front and rear dash, Smith said.

A note in his car’s cup holder had rifle scope formulas, which help a shooter adjust for distance from a target. Such formulas estimate how much a bullet drops after it is fired and are generally included with a scope purchased for hunting or recreation, said Greg A. Danas, a firearms expert based in Massachusetts.

McVey gave authorities an Ohio driver’s license, but a computer check failed to show the number was valid, police said.

Coshocton County Sheriff Timothy Rogers said Monday he had no knowledge of McVey or his family and that he was not investigating McVey.

McVey’s next court date is June 10.

He lives in a simple, one-story white house that sits off a narrow, paved township road winding through a hilly, wooded area just south of Coshocton. A man answering the door Monday said he had no comment.

McVey’s mother, Jeri Senor, lives in Asheville and said Monday the family did not want to talk.

“We’re doing fine but we don’t want to comment right now,” she said.