A Michigan man from Reed City, who could face incarceration of 20 years if convicted, is being held in Osceola County on a bond of $1 million. State police arrested him and charged him with three felonies after they received tips about him allegedly posting threatening material on YouTube. Authorities say this is one of several cases across the country in which arrests were made after individuals threatened to commit mass violence.
Police say the man posted three videos in which he threatened a professor at the Ferris State University, local hospitals and a VA agency. Interviews with his family revealed that the man was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after his discharge from the Marines in 2012. They believe the origin of his troubles was an explosion in which he was involved during a tour in Afghanistan in 2009.
His family says the fact that his mental problems are mostly ignored has given rise to his frustration. They say that he only seeks attention, and the fact that others who have threatened mass shootings or domestic terrorism have received attention encouraged him to do the same. However, they do not think he would carry out any of the threats.
PTSD is a significant problem for veterans, and victims might not always be responsible for their actions. The sensible thing to do would be to retain the services of an experienced Michigan criminal defense attorney. Along with the facts of the case and the accused man’s psychological condition, the lawyer can build a strong defense to fight the formal accusations of felonies. It might be possible to negotiate a plea agreement through which the charges might be reduced or dropped.