By MICHAEL HINKELMAN
The Philadelphia Daily News
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PHILADELPHIA — A Florida couple who tried to bring knives and shotgun shells into the William J. Green Federal Building at 6th and Arch streets on Thursday had been ordered to undergo psychiatric examinations in Florida, federal authorities said yesterday.
The arrests of Louis C. Boumpani, 56, and his wife, Kathy Boumpani, 44, of Palm Coast, Fla., prompted evacuation of the building and a section of the historic district. The two have been charged with weapons offenses and ordered held without bail.
Louis Boumpani recently was released on bail following a felony arrest for eluding police in Florida, according to court papers filed yesterday. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Pavlock said the man had been accused of refusing to obey when a police officer tried to stop a vehicle Boumpani was driving July 9.
The couple drove to Philadelphia and said they were going into the federal building to talk with the FBI “to report incidents of identity theft and mortgage fraud that had been perpetrated against them,” Federal Protective Service agent Edward Ryan wrote in an arrest affidavit. The 10-story Green building houses a number of federal law-enforcement agencies, including the FBI, DEA and IRS.
“The reason my husband and I came here is I was foreclosed on,” Kathy Boumpani told U.S. Magistrate David Strawbridge.
The pair were carrying two briefcases and a cardboard box “with the materials that they felt were relevant to their presentation to the FBI,” Ryan wrote.
When the briefcases and box were scanned in an X-ray machine, federal security officers found two knives, four shotgun shells and five .22-caliber rounds loaded in a magazine, Ryan wrote.
A search of the couple’s van turned up a loaded shotgun, a loaded .22-caliber rifle, more ammunition, a sword and 14 knives, Ryan said. Louis Boumpani told investigators the shotgun was for self-defense, Ryan wrote.
Pavlock said the Boumpanis set out from Florida last Saturday in a van that included the weapons, a motorcycle and three small dogs.
Strawbridge ordered the couple held in temporary custody at the Federal Detention Center pending a pre-trial detention hearing Wednesday.
The Boumpanis - both wearing green prison jumpers and appearing bewildered - were each given court-appointed lawyers by Strawbridge.
However, the magistrate denied a government request that both have immediate pyschiatric evaluations.
Petitions to determine the Boumpanis’ mental capacity were filed on behalf of the couple in probate court in Flagler County, Fla., on July 8.
The petitions alleged that the couple had exhibited “erratic behavior,” were “paranoid,” “unaware” of their assets and debts and “unable to handle” their finances.
Petitions for the appointment of legal guardians for both were also filed, alleging that the Boumpanis may suffer from bipolar disorder.
It’s unclear why the Boumpanis chose to come to Philadelphia.
In a handwritten statement given to authorities, Louis Boumpani apologized for “inconveniences” caused by his actions.
The Green Building was evacuated and Independence Mall was also closed for several hours Thursday morning.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright 2008 Philadelphia Newspapers, LLC