Man charged after break-in at Richmond courthouse, officials plan funding boost for security

When an alarm went off late one night at Richmond’s John Marshall Courts Building downtown, the firefighters and police officers who responded found one door open and another broken.

There was a man inside the building around 3 a.m. on March 3, according to court records, along with a “badly damaged foyer door, bricks, a knife, broken lighters and a dolly.”

At gunpoint, police arrested Ronan Zakutney, 21, of no fixed address. He’s now facing a felony charge of breaking and entering while armed with a weapon.

“The front door to the courthouse was ajar, the foyer door glass appeared to have been struck multiple times,” the criminal complaint reads. “Zakutney was detained well within the building. When asked why he was inside, Zakutney was unable to give a clear timeline of events.”

When questioned by police, according to court documents, Zakutney claimed he is a CIA agent and said he went into the building with a knife because he had seen another figure inside who looked like him. He said he was trying to find that other person but they got away.

“Accused states he works for CIA but was unable to give any additional information about his unit other than a supervisor name of Trump and the phone number of 911,” another court document says.

Zakutney indicated to police he had only been in the Richmond area a short while prior to the incident, according to court records.

The damaged interior door at the courthouse has been covered with cardboard for weeks.

“An intruder made his way into the building but was contained within secured areas,” Circuit Court Clerk Ed Jewett said in an email. “There was no extensive property damage.”

A public defender identified as Zakutney’s attorney declined to comment.

Court officials pointed to the incident in a recent budget presentation meant to demonstrate the need for more courthouse funding. The presentation said “security is of great concern” at the courthouse.

Mayor Danny Avula has proposed $15.6 million in capital funding for renovations and planning work related to long-term plans to fully replace the courthouse. Officials are hoping to eventually replace the facility, which dates to the 1970s and is located a block away from City Hall. But with other significant spending needs, the city has yet to fund the construction of a fully new courthouse, which was previously estimated to cost as much as $350 million.

The city has said the new infusion of courthouse funding will mostly go toward “renovation and safety improvements.”

“The City’s Department of General Services continues to work closely with the courthouse occupants to determine the exact improvement needs of the facility,” said city spokesperson Michael Hinkle. “The $15.6M proposed in the budget, if allocated, will go towards comprehensive roof repairs, elevator upgrades, installation of secured electronic swipe-card access, HVAC system upgrades, and the installation of protective bollards at entrances, to name a few.”

The budget proposal also includes $317,000 for contracted security services at the courthouse “to address staffing shortages and maintain appropriate security coverage,” according to a city overview.

Hinkle said that money is new supplemental funding to add to the courthouse security services already provided by the Richmond Sheriff’s Office.

At a budget work session with the City Council on Monday, Chief Administrative Officer Odie Donald II characterized the $15.6 million as a way to modernize the courthouse as officials continue to work on a long-term solution for the aging facility. He said much of the short-term work that’s needed has been put off for years.

“I’m going to be honest, I’m shocked that those things have not been taken care of in all of this time,” Donald said.

The city is also conducting a study, Donald said, on what the options might be for a new courthouse.

“This process will allow us to both look for that home and identify that permanent home, while making the one that they have currently is a suitable fit and safe,” Donald said. “Not only for those delivering the services, but for people who are seeking justice every day.”

Contact Reporter Graham Moomaw at gmoomaw@richmonder.org