Ethiopian native faces Feb. 15 trial

PROVO — A judge recently dismissed charges against an Ethiopian native who liked guns and violent video games, but the young man will still go to trial on another charge.

Kiddus Chane Yohannes, 20, was arrested in June after his roommate went to Orem police with concerns that Yohannes was making threatening statements while playing video games depicting violence to U.S. soldiers and police officers.

Police, during a search of Yohannes' apartment and car, found several legally purchased guns as well as an ATM card belonging to Yohannes' roommate.

The card, however, had never been used, but possession still meant a third-degree felony charge for Yohannes.

"We don't have a resolution, so we'd like to set it for trial," said defense attorney Richard Gale. Trial was set for Feb. 15.

Fourth District Judge Gary Stott recently dismissed two other third-degree felonies of providing false information during a background check prior to purchasing guns.

Stott ruled the form wasn't clear enough about what numbers were required and which were optional. So the numbers Yohannes had written, even if they were not the right numbers, were not required by law.

Gale said his client simply confused two different numbers on his legal permanent resident form but provided his correct name, address and driver's license number.

Yohannes, who is a legal permanent resident, has been in the Utah County Jail since June on $250,000 cash-only bail, but now that he has only one charge related to an ATM card, Gale asked for bail of $2,500 cash or bond.

Prosecutor Donna Kelly opposed that amount and asked instead for $10,000 cash-only bail and a no-contact order with the former roommate and the landlord.

Stott set cash or bond bail at $5,000.

Gale said his client didn't think he could post that much bail, which is why he asked for a quick one-day trial date.

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