Springfield attorney comments on Andreychenko arrest, potential court arguments

The Greene County Prosecutor's office has filed charges against Dmitriy N. Andreychenko, 20, for making a terrorist threat in the second degree.

Investigators said Andreychenko walked around a Springfield Walmart: Neighborhood Market Thursday afternoon carrying multiple guns and wearing a tactical jacket. Police said he had more than 100 rounds of ammunition.

Attorney Scott Pierson said in order to be charged, the prosecutor had to prove there was an implied threat.

"It's really tough to define what is an implied threat," he said. "You have to have put fear of serious bodily injury to multiple people for it to be a first degree terroristic threat."

He said the man's age and criminal history could determine his sentencing.

"I don't believe he has a criminal history, and because of that, that will all be taken into account," Pierson said. "Theoretically he could be given probation, he could be given shock time in the county jail, or he could be sentenced to the Missouri department of corrections."

Pierson said if something like this happened just two weeks ago, before the El Paso and Dayton shootings, he may not have even been arrested.

"But because of those things happened, a reasonable person would be fearful of an individual walking in with a tactical vest and what looks like an assault rifle."

He said to him, the most interesting part is the similarity in weapons.

"The Dayton shooting that recently took place the individual used the exact same weapon that this suspect had on him. It's a pistol," Pierson said. "It's a pistol that's been modified to look like a rifle, but under ATF standards it's actually a pistol and not a short barrel rifle."

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