Jan 26, 2022 By Mike Jones newsroom@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read

The most serious charges against an Amwell Township man accused of threatening to bring a gun to state Rep. Pam Snyder’s district office in Carmichaels were dismissed Monday, although he still faces other felony charges of making terroristic threats against the staff.

Anthony James Burnworth, 47, was arrested Dec. 2 after Cumberland Township police said he called Snyder’s office at 104 S. Market St. twice earlier in the day claiming he would bring a gun to the office after having issues with his unemployment benefits.

During his preliminary hearing Monday afternoon, District Judge Lee Watson dismissed the most serious charges that included two counts each of terrorism affecting the conduct of government and aggravated assault. However, Watson ordered Burnworth to stand trial on other felony terroristic threats charges, specifically two counts of intent to terrorize another person and another two counts of causing serious public inconvenience.

Burnsworth’s defense attorney, Adam Belletti, said the more serious felony charges were dismissed because his client is not accused of actually going to the district office to commit an act of violence.

“The initial charges as filed were just a little over the top to even what was alleged,” Belletti said. “After the court heard some of the evidence, it even acknowledged that in dismissing them.”

Burnworth is accused of calling Snyder’s district office to apparently complain about problems regarding his unemployment compensation. When an office worker directed him to speak to a federal representative, Cumberland Township police said Burnworth became angry and allegedly threatened the worker.

“Do I need to get a gun and handle this big-boy style?” he allegedly said, according to court documents.

He called back a few minutes later and told the employee he was “going to handle this big-boy style,” before he hung up the phone, police said. The two employees in the office then locked the door, but continued to work in a back room, police said.

Greene County District Attorney David Russo said they filed the more serious charges because investigators thought Burnworth might be on his way to Snyder’s office. But Burnworth never came to the office, although it was not clear where he made the calls from or how state police located him when they arrested him in Washington County.

“Although the charges requiring a physical menace or violent act were dismissed, I believe they were filed appropriately to protect the victims of the alleged crime,” Russo said in a written statement.

A spokesman for Snyder, D-Jefferson, politely declined to comment Tuesday.

Burnworth is free on $50,000 bond while he awaits trial on the remaining charges. He’s scheduled to appear at the Greene County Courthouse at 1 p.m. Feb. 28 for his formal arraignment before President Judge Lou Dayich.

“We just hope an amicable resolution can be reached to an unfortunate misunderstanding,” Belletti said.