Carter Smale
WAUKESHA, Wis. - A man convicted of threatening to blow up the Waukesha County Courthouse, among other threats, was sentenced to prison on Monday.
Court records show 36-year-old Carter Smale was sentenced to one year in prison and two years of extended supervision. He pleaded no contest last year to two felony counts of battery or threat to a judge, prosecutor, or law enforcement officer.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
The backstory:
Court filings said Smale was upset over a domestic violence case involving his ex-girlfriend. He was accused of threatening the officer who arrested him for property damage-domestic abuse in Delafield, as well as the judge who presided over his case and released him on a signature bond.
Witnesses told police he had plans and materials to build bombs. A criminal complaint said New Berlin police were contacted about documents that talked about how to create IEDs. In a backpack with the documents, investigators found shotgun shells and .22 caliber ammunition.
Waukesha County Courthouse
One person said, after Smale's first court hearing in the case involving his ex-girlfriend, he began making threats and joking that he would kill "the (expletive) who arrested him," mentioning the officer, and he also talked about wanting his ex-girlfriend and her family "gone." The witness said after seeing the documents about the explosives, along with zip ties, rope and duct tape, he "feared the jokes about wanting to kidnap women on the street may come true."
Another person said he was with Smale, and as they drove by the officer's home, Smale said, "I'll kill that (expletive) someday," upset that he was cited for firing a gun in April 2021. Smale also mentioned that the officer had police patrolling her house because of him, according to prosecutors. This witness added that Smale said he planned to blow up the Delafield police station using an aluminum motorcycle engine after the Waukesha sheriff's station and Waukesha County Courthouse, threatening to kill his ex, her mom, his ex's boyfriend, the judge, prosecutors and any police.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
Officers searched Smale's home and didn't find any materials used to make explosives.
After Smale was arrested on outstanding warrants, prosecutors said he denied writing any of the bomb-making materials and denied having explosives. He did say that he had training to make IEDs due to being a former Marine.
The complaint said Smale denied threatening the judge or the courthouse, telling investigators: "Even if I did say something, so what."
Prosecutors said he denied even knowing who the judge was in the case in which he was charged – despite the fact that prosecutors said Smale appeared before the judge before he stopped coming to court and a warrant was issued.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.