Cops: Man threatens to bring 'day of reckoning' to Adams County prison, causes lockdown

Pennsylvania State Police arrested a Tyrone Township man after police say he threatened to bring a "day of reckoning" to the Adams County Adult Correctional Complex, which resulted in a five-hour lockdown of the facility.

State police charged Charles Gerard Aiken III, 75, with terroristic threats, according to an affidavit filed in District Judge Tony Little's office. 

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According to Pamela Mathis, Aiken's neighbor, on April 16, Aiken drove his car up to her house honking his horn. He got out of his green Subaru Forester and showed Mathis his legs, which Aiken claimed were scraped up the night before following an incident with a demon or the Devil.

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Aiken relayed to Mathis that he had a gun and he planned to go to the prison to "preach the truth" and that "there was going to be a day of reckoning," according to the affidavit.

At about noon on April 16, Mathis called police to report the interaction with Aiken.

The correctional complex went on lockdown for about five hours, and Warden Katy Hileman told police about a previous incident the prison had with Aiken.

Hileman told police that in November 2018 Aiken entered the lobby of the correctional complex dressed in a karate uniform claiming to be a pastor. He became "irate" when he was told he couldn't immediately meet with an inmate. 

Aiken was asked to leave the facility and when he left he circled the parking lot in his vehicle shouting that he loves corrections officers. At the time, Aiken was working as a religious counselor, however, after the incident he was let go from this position, according to police. 

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At about 6 p.m. on April 16, police interviewed Aiken. In the interview, Aiken told police he was sorry for causing a lockdown but did not acknowledge statements he reportedly made earlier that day about the prison. He also told police that he does own a handgun, according to the affidavit. 

Aiken has a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 24, according to court documents. He is currently in jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Aiken's attorney information has not yet been posted.

Sophie Kaplan is a reporter with The Evening Sun. Follow her on Twitter @yofisofi.