MONROE — A a local man allegedly waited in a checkout line with his daughter and calmly told a cashier he could shoot up the huge store early last Friday morning, investigators alleged in court Monday.

But Casey O. Ford, 41, of Monroe, never acted on his words back early on Aug. 1, the day of the incident. Still, he now faces potentially decades in prison on a primary charge of making terrorist threats with a use of a dangerous weapon.

At least two cashiers allegedly heard the threats, with the main victim being the cashier who checked out the man and his daughter, said a criminal complaint.

“I had a male customer who said the world needs to be less populated and he was gonna lessen the population and come in and kill us all,” she said, in the court document. “(Victim 1) told the customer he should not talk like that or someone would call the cops on you…”

At one point in the exchange the cashier/victim tried to ignore the man, but he continued with his threats, making her afraid he would return and act on them, according to the complaint.

“(Victim 1) stated the customer said, ‘I’m gonna come back and kill you all.’ (Victim 1) further states the customer did not say these comments in an angry fashion, rather just in a calm normal tone voice.”

Another clerk overheard the treats, but then the man apparently left the store with his purchase and daughter. But noting in the complaint that he was known to other employees in the store — and having a vehicle description — they were able to track him down and give him a call. 

When later asked on the call by an officer if he could discuss the earlier incident at Walmart, the defendant reportedly recoiled at the question, according to the court document: 

“Casey began talking about freedom of speech and ‘Illegal aliens in our country,’” investigators alleged — but eventually he agreed to go to the police station. 

During an initial appearance on the charges before Circuit Judge Faun M. Phillipson on Monday, Ford was polite, and answered questions with a steady “yes ma’am,” when asked. 

A signature bond was set for $1,500, with strict conditions, including no contact with the store or cashier/victim, and no possession of any firearms. 

Responding to a “concern” about contact with his daughter by Phillipson, Public Defender Jane Krueger Smith — representing Ford as a courtesy for bond purposes only — told the court Ford is an honorable man, a veteran and a father who could be trusted to have contact with his daughter, with whom he lives. 

He was also someone who could be trusted to avoid any contact with witnesses or others related to the case, she said. An officer in the complaint described Ford as a “combat veteran” but it does not mention the nature of his service; or the conflicts to which he may have been deployed.

According to a jail officer, he was released from jail later the afternoon of the Monday hearing.

Ford’s next appearance is an adjourned initial appearance scheduled for 1:15 p.m. Sept. 3, also before Phillipson.  

If convicted of the most serious felony, making terrorist threats, he faces a maximum of three years, six months in state prison, with another four years possible with the threatening to use a dangerous weapon enhancement to the charges.