GREEN BAY -- Charges were filed Friday, Dec. 20 against two men accused of showing up at a Green Bay Christmas concert armed. A criminal complaint described the men as "followers" of former Green Bay Packers defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila.
Ryan Desmith, 22, of Friendship and Jordan Salmi, 24, of Onalaska were each charged with three misdemeanors:
WLUK reported Green Bay police officers were called to Assembly of God Church around 6:15 p.m. on Dec. 17.
When officers went inside the church, they talked to the school director, who told them Desmith and Salmi were not affiliated with the church, and the men were asked to leave three separate times.
The complaint said the school director told police Gbaja-Biamila and his followers make YouTube videos and sent threatening messages to him and the school. The director went on to say he believed the two "followers" inside the church possibly saw the videos posted earlier that day.
The director said Gbaja-Biamila has children who attend the church and told police Gbaja-Biamila does not agree with his children being part of the Assembly of God Church.
Once the two men were taken out of the church and placed into the back of patrol cars, Gbaja-Biamila showed up and appeared upset his "brothers" were arrested.
Prosecutors said KGB indicated his "brothers" were saving him seats for the show, despite the fact that he was wearing sweatpants. When asked if his children were inside, he advised: "They are not children. They are his 'property,' and that he would be getting his 'property' and leaving."
The complaint referred to court paperwork that showed KGB and the children's mother have 50/50 custody, but police were told Gbaja-Biamila had not seen his children in about two years, and a judge ruled if the children were already attending this school and practicing this religion, they would stay in it.
Prosecutors said in the complaint, "Kabeer argued with officers for a long time," and "said he would leave the property, but he needed his 'brothers' to come with him." KGB was advised that the officers needed help identifying his "brothers," who would not talk to police. KGB then said "John Doe" could provide his name, and he said he was Ryan Smith. When Smith was asked what his birth date was, KGB said they don't use birth dates and police would just have to understand this as part of their religion.
Police spoke with a man KGB was speaking with on the phone, "who seemed to be a leader of some sort," and that man, police, and KGB "went in circles" until it was decided the two followers would be going to jail, the complaint said.
The complaint said KGB ended his phone conversation and "made at least two to three strong target glances" at an officer's duty weapon, and police decided to try to place him in handcuffs "for all of our safety."
According to prosecutors, at this point, Kabeer became very argumentative with officers -- believing he did nothing wrong and this was happening because he was a black man. He was advised that he needed to leave immediately, or he would be jailed, as well -- so he got into his vehicle and left.
Meanwhile, police searched Desmith and Salmi, who were found with a semi-automatic pistol, a knife that was nine inches total with a 4.5-inch blade, and an extra magazine.
Initial court appearances were scheduled for Jan. 7 for Desmith and Salmi.