Man arrested for threatening churchgoers with pellet gun in Mariposa

A man was arrested after reportedly trying to enter a church in Mariposa with a pellet gun last week.

The suspect, identified as Mitchell Amonds, 46, a transient of Mariposa, was taken into custody Wednesday.

Sheriff’s deputies said Amonds tried to enter St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 4985 Bullion St., with a gun slung over his shoulder and making threats.

He is being held on $50,000 bail.

The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Dispatch received a 911 call about 7:30 p.m. The caller said a man threatening people with a shotgun was at the church, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.

Before deputies arrived, Amonds hid the weapon, but a department dog found it near the church’s cemetery, officers said. It turned out to be a pellet gun.

Amonds is being held at the Mariposa County Adult Detention Facility on suspicion of felony criminal threats and brandishing a firearm.

This story was originally published June 29, 2015 at 7:10 PM with the headline "Man arrested for threatening churchgoers with pellet gun in Mariposa."