LOUISVILLE, KY – A Louisville woman is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say she attempted to orchestrate a dangerous plot against her former mother-in-law, enlisting the help of her two young children to carry it out.
Tiffany Gregory, 34, was arrested Tuesday and charged with first-degree wanton endangerment, second-degree stalking, and unlawful transaction with a minor. Investigators allege Gregory devised several schemes over recent months to intentionally trigger a severe allergic reaction in her ex-mother-in-law, who is highly allergic to bell peppers.
Police records indicate that the victim began receiving a series of threatening messages from Gregory this year, prompting her to contact law enforcement. The victim said the communications became increasingly disturbing, with Gregory also being spotted driving past her home repeatedly.
One incident in April allegedly involved Gregory sending a video to the victim, secretly recording her while she stood in line at a local Walgreens pharmacy. This act heightened concerns about ongoing harassment and put the victim further on edge.
The situation escalated on July 7, when authorities say Gregory picked up her children, ages 8 and 11, under the pretense of a trip to the zoo. Before the outing, she reportedly told the children they needed to make a stop. According to police, Gregory instructed her children to stomp on several bell peppers, knowing their grandmother’s severe allergy. She then placed the crushed peppers into a birthday gift bag, intending for the children to leave it on their grandmother’s porch.
Both children refused, aware of the potentially life-threatening consequences. Investigators say Gregory then turned to a friend, asking them to help complete her plan. The friend allegedly placed the pepper-filled gift bag on the victim’s car, accompanied by a note that referenced the victim’s allergy and included a threatening message.
Luckily, the victim’s husband discovered the bag before any harm occurred, disposing of it safely and potentially preventing a medical emergency.
This was not the first incident involving Gregory and alleged attempts to cause harm. Police said in June, Gregory took her children to the victim’s home, telling them she needed to deliver legal paperwork. While there, she allegedly smeared a pink substance on the victim’s car door handle. The victim later touched the handle, wiped it off, and subsequently became ill, waking up in the hospital after suffering an allergic reaction.
At Gregory’s arraignment on Wednesday, she pleaded not guilty to all charges and was ordered held on a $25,000 cash-only bond at the Louisville Metro Detention Center. She is scheduled to reappear in court on August 7.
Authorities have not identified the victim, but said the investigations are ongoing. Child protective services have also been alerted because Gregory allegedly attempted to involve minors in potentially dangerous conduct.
No injuries were reported as a result of the July incidents, but officials have emphasized the severity of weaponizing food allergies, highlighting the serious legal repercussions that can arise from such actions.