tonight a defender's exclusive a local
case where all the warning signs for the
potential of a mass shooting are present
but there's a little law enforcement can
do about it federal prosecutors say the
red flags are everywhere in the case of
25 year old Matthew but because he has
not committed a serious crime he's back
home tonight local 4 defender Kevin
Dietz joins us to explain what's going
on here Kevin yeah the FBI says Matthew
bought a lot of weapons and researched
mass shootings and potential local
targets when the feds investigated the
only crime they could find was lying on
a credit card application
Matthew pleaded guilty in his home now
on probation that's where we caught up
with them you should know we are not
identifying Matthew because he is not
charged with making actual threats hi
Matt yeah hi my name is Kevin how you
doing Matthew is not in custody he's
home when I show up at his house he's
the only one home he lives with his dad
but his dad works a lot I'm 70s with
jail floor I just wanted to talk to you
about your son for a minute no I'm okay
I just I just wanted to see if you feel
that he's safe talking another time so
Matthew spends a lot of time alone
despite grave concern spelled out in
federal court the prosecutor judge even
defense attorney worried about Matthew's
fascination with and purchase of guns an
ar-15 assault rifle several handguns a
binary trigger your honor which is used
only to ensure that an assault rifle
will fire quicker the defendant asked
the gun store how he could convert his
ar-15 to a fully automatic rifle his
internet post praising mass shooters and
speaking disparagingly about African
Americans he describes the Las Vegas
shooter as a quote hero and a badass he
actually mentions that he has a quote
list and that black people are at the
top of that list but you don't feel the
way that they portrayed you now you're
not racist
and you have no interest in I mean it's
just saying stupid stuff online you know
wasn't a good idea Matthew's frightening
Google searches so he searched pulse
nightclub the attack location in Orlando
and then immediately searched annarbor
nightclubs Columbine High School and
then immediately searched Howell
Michigan High School
I'm just talking about the you buying
guns and looking up mass shooters and
looking at potential targets in the area
possibly the time I didn't really think
it was a big deal because it's not legal
but obviously it wasn't a good idea and
his mental health evaluation and he
diagnosed him the defendant with acute
homicide allottee I mean when we talk
about red flags your honor these are
literally staring us in the face
Matthew was in court charged with fraud
for lying about his income on credit
card applications he was locked up for
five months pending trial but when he
pleaded guilty he was sentenced to five
years probation and released did you
learn anything from all this not to
lying yes or say stupid stuff in lying
but nobody has to worry about you know
Matthew seems to realize lying about his
income on credit card applications was
wrong but the rest of it Matthew sees as
harmless his actions online may seem
scary but buying guns is legal so are
Google searches and free speech is
protected they said that you'd search
Columbine shooting and then your next
internet search would be high schools
and Howell do you know why you would do
that no so when Matthew pleaded guilty
to felony wire fraud the judge sentenced
him to five years probation ordered him
not to play violent video games he can
only be connected to the Internet
through one phone and one computer so
authorities can monitor him he is to
continue mental health treatment and
check in with his probation officer
because of his conviction he can no
longer legally possess guns matthew
assures me the public has nothing to
worry about those watch if you say I'll
Internet I guess don't be stupid
all right well good luck to you
Matthews attorney Benton Martin chose
not to be interviewed but tells me the
case presented unique circumstances and
he respects the careful thought the
judge put into sentencing judge Laurie
Michelson says she does not comment
publicly on any of her cases
Matthew is on probation for five years
and I should mention that Howell High
School has been notified of Matthews
activities and they are being updated
constantly so now the FBI and local law
enforcement they both say that they have
too many cases like Matthews to
physically go out and monitor so what do
they say we should do yeah law
enforcement says they need our help
friends family co-workers they need to
keep an eye on people like Matthew and
if that activity continues notify them
so they can get back involved see
something say something yeah Mary Kevin