Ames Man Who Threatened Homeless Pleads Guilty to Reduced Charges

A man who was accused of threatening to kill homeless people and was involuntarily committed to a mental institution has now entered a written guilty plea to reduced charges, according to Story County Court records filed in Nevada.

Michael Ray Nootz, 56, stated in a written plea that he would like to plead guilty to two counts of second-degree harassment, a serious misdemeanor. The plea was filed Wednesday.

Nootz was originally charged with first-degree harassment and assault while displaying a weapon in July after allegedly going to known homeless camp sites in Ames and telling three homeless men to leave the area.

He later ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign for Story County Sheriff stating that he wanted to stop Boone County law enforcement from dropping off “tramps” at the Story County line and that a hobo gang called Freight Train Riders of America had passed through Ames. Nootz formerly worked for Union Pacific Railroad in Boone.

Nootz was later involuntarily committed to a state mental health institution and ordered to undergo an evaluation to judge whether he was competent to stand trial.

The Story County Attorney's office recommended, according to the plea, that Nootz be sentenced to one year in prison for each count and that the sentence be suspended. He was also to continue with mental health treatment and would not be allowed to possess firearms.

Nootz waived his right to a sentencing hearing, according to the plea.