MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The man accused in a Morgantown law office standoff has been charged with misdemeanor brandishing.
On December 16, Jeremy Harp, 32, went to the Cranston Edwards Law Office to provide a statement regarding the recent conviction of his brother Christopher Harp, 39, for possessing and receiving child pornography.
Cranston & Edward attorneys represented Christopher Harp, who was convicted in the spring of 2024 and has not yet been sentenced.
After providing the statement, Jeremy Harp reportedly drew a weapon and pointed it at his chest, causing the employees in the law office to flee.
About five hours later, crisis negotiators brought a peaceful end to the standoff and transported Harp to a local hospital for a mental evaluation.
After Harp surrendered, police found Harp was wearing a bulletproof vest during the incident.
On MetroNews “Talkline,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia Bill Ihlenfeld said they are looking at evidence that shows Jeremy Harp did not go to the Cranston & Edwards Law office on his own. Ihlenfeld did not say if it was a family member, a friend, or possibly his brother Christopher that was involved in motivating Jeremy Harp on Monday.
“The evidence we gathered indicates he was manipulated into going into that law office and making a false statement,” Ihlenfeld said. “In other words, he didn’t go in there on his own; he didn’t just wake up and decide he wanted to go in and admit to something he didn’t do—he was encouraged, he was pressured, and he was perhaps incentivized.”
The Harp brothers are both being held in the North Central Regional Jail.