A 52-year-old Kearns man has been charged for allegedly plotting to kill Governor Herbert.
Brian Biff Baker was arrested last Friday after allegedly sending text messages to a acquaintance that claim he was planning to harm Utah Governor Gary Herbert. Concerned by his comments, the acquaintance called West Valley City Police, according to charging documents.
Those messages included the statements, “been caseing the place they going to shit when the explosion start lol should be funny as hell its a dangerouse mission,” and, “this cop drives by one more time im takeing him.”
Police were able to track Baker across the Salt Lake Valley and arrested him on Feb. 2 a couple blocks from the Governor’s Mansion in downtown Salt Lake City.
Charging documents state that surveillance footage of the Governor’s Mansion showed Baker conducting surveillance of the mansion on Feb. 2. Police officials worked with a friend of Baker to have him arrive at a gas station near 900 East South Temple where he was arrested.
Charging documents say a search of his truck found containers of ammunition, a large knife, M-88 Salute explosives, several cardboard boxes of illegal firecrackers, a pipe and two baggies that contained methamphetamine.
Baker was charged Friday with possession of a controlled substance, a second degree felony, possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a third degree felony, and threatening elected officials, a class B misdemeanor.
Baker is currently in the Salt Lake County Jail on $25,000 bail
