Charges were filed against William Wayne Bryant, 71, a resident of Archuleta County, on Wednesday afternoon, July 23, related to his suspected involvement in a June 12 arson incident that affected multiple county offices that were located at 449 San Juan St. in downtown Pagosa Springs.
Those charges include use of explosives or incendiary devices, second-degree arson and first-degree arson.
The filing of charges was continued to the July 23 date on July 2, when Assistant District Attorney Mac Dudley indicated the discovery in the case was not yet available.
Archuleta County Court Judge Justin Fay also considered a motion relating to pretrial publicity on July 23, with Bryant’s attorney, David Ottman, explaining the case appears to be garnering publicity.
He noted that on July 14, he reached out to the district attorney’s office for discovery, and that same day he discovered video still shots in possession of The Denver Post, with other outlets also having the photo.
He called it “troubling, to put it mildly,” but indicated later he was not blaming the district attorney’s office.
He also discussed the public comments made by people such as Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and clarified that his client is presumed innocent.
Further discussion on the matter related to the detail missing from Ottman’s proposed order and limitations of the court’s jurisdiction over people like the secretary of state.
Fay echoed the concerns regarding Bryant’s right to a fair trial if the case proceeds to trial.
Ottman was directed to file an amended proposed order.
Fay also made known during the July 23 appearance that it is alleged that Bryant at some point created a “pamphlet” depicting Fay as Krusty the Clown, which he noted he thought was comical until he noticed the SS tattoo on the neck of the clown, offering that the parties could consider any potential conflict.
“Thank you for that information,” Ottman said.
Fay added that he had no firsthand information on the matter.
Bryant’s next court date will be a preliminary hearing demand, which was set for 2 p.m. on Sept. 3.
Bryant was taken into custody on Thursday, June 26, with his arrest announced by the Pagosa Springs Police Department (PSPD) the following day in a press release sent to The SUN.
According to the June 27 press release, on June 12 at approximately 1:17 a.m., Archuleta County Combined Dispatch received a fire alarm notification from 449 San Juan St., the location of both the Archuleta County Assessor’s Office and the Archuleta County Clerk’s Office.
PSPD Officer Colton Calavan was the first to respond and observed evidence suggesting that the fire was intentionally set, according to the press release.
It further notes that, throughout the investigation, a suspect vehicle was identified, with the vehicle subsequently linked to Bryant.
Subsequently, search warrants and arrest warrants were issued for Bryant on Wednesday, June 25, according to the press release, and, on Thursday, June 26, Bryant was taken into custody.
“Due to the nature of the attack on a government facility, Mr. Bryant faces serious charges, including first-degree arson, use of an incendiary device, and possible federal charges related to threats against public infrastructure,” the press release states.
It adds this “complex case” resulted from the collaborative efforts of multiple agencies, including the PSPD, Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, Pagosa Fire Protection District, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“This incident was a deliberate and dangerous act against a vital part of our community’s democratic and administrative infrastructure,” the press release states. “Thanks to the extraordinary cooperation of our law enforcement and emergency partners, we were able to quickly identify a suspect and begin the process of restoring justice and safety to our community.”
On July 14, the state put out news of the June 26 arrest and issued statements regarding the incident through a press release from Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold’s office.
“It is appalling that a Colorado elections office was firebombed, and even more so that the suspect has a history of spreading election conspiracies. Attacks on democratic institutions must be strongly condemned,” said Griswold via the July 14 press release. “I take any threat to elections incredibly seriously, and thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case. We will support the Archuleta County Clerk’s Office and ensure they are able to fully recover from this attack.”
“The Colorado County Clerks Association is grateful to federal, state, and local law enforcement and the Colorado Department of State for their prompt and professional response to this situation. While the investigation remains ongoing, we unequivocally condemn any deliberate act or threat of political violence,” said Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado Clerks Association. “Colorado’s County Clerks and their teams serve as nonpartisan and trusted stewards of our democratic process. Any attempt to intimidate or harm them—or compromise their facilities—is an affront to democracy itself and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The press release further states, “Video footage obtained during the investigation assisted law enforcement in identifying the suspect, who has also publicly expressed election conspiracies and anti-tax beliefs according to the affidavit for arrest warrant.
“According to the same affidavit, a ‘Molotov cocktail-type device’ was thrown into a room that holds voting equipment. Both the County Assessor and County Clerk’s Offices were affected. The suspect was arrested for first degree arson, a class four felony, and possession of an explosive or incendiary device, a class five felony.”
In Bryant’s initial court appearance following his arrest, Clay Buchner, then the assistant district attorney, suggested Bryant has ties to the community and little criminal history before alleging the action he is suspected of may have been a retaliatory act.
Ottman called the affidavit entirely circumstantial and centered a lot on Byrant’s political views, which he later noted are protected under the First Amendment.
He noted the allegations were “thin” at the time.
He added that Bryant has been in the community for 20 years, ran for political office and has no criminal history.
Bryant ran for Archuleta County sheriff in 2022 and lost to the current sheriff, Mike Le Roux, with Le Roux receiving 4,775 votes and Bryant receiving 1,206 votes. A third candidate, Monica Medina, received 1,589 votes.
Bryant’s bond was set at $10,000 cash surety, which Fay noted is statutory for the offense Bryant was arrested on. Conditions on the bond included having no weapons and no contact with the 449 San Juan St. offices.
Bryant later met that bond and was released.
He again appeared in court on July 2, with the filing of charges continued and additional discussion held on what properties related to Archuleta County should fall under a protection order.
randi@pagosasun.com
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