Crime

Clinton County man showed up at business with homemade bomb, police say

By Kara Berg

April 04, 2018 09:44 AM

Kyle Matthews, already accused of bringing a pipe bomb to a Carlyle business, now faces additional charges in federal court, including for allegedly possessing a machine gun.
Kyle Matthews, already accused of bringing a pipe bomb to a Carlyle business, now faces additional charges in federal court, including for allegedly possessing a machine gun. Special to the BND
Kyle Matthews, already accused of bringing a pipe bomb to a Carlyle business, now faces additional charges in federal court, including for allegedly possessing a machine gun. Special to the BND

A 25-year-old Keyesport man is facing charges after police say they found him with a pipe bomb.

The Clinton County Sheriff's Department received a report of a man in a Carlyle business Saturday night with a suspicious item, WGEL Radio reported. The item was described to police as a pipe bomb made of a PVC pipe with end caps, and the man allegedly told others the item was a homemade bomb.

Kyle Matthews of 21000 Emerald Road was arrested and charged in the case, according to Clinton County Sheriff Doug Maue. On Wednesday morning, Clinton County State's Attorney John Hudspeth filed three felony charges against Matthews: two counts of possessing a bomb and one count of possessing a silencer-type device for a firearm.

Maue said federal authorities also might be filing charges.

"(Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) is also interested in charging him federally; they are pursuing charges on him," Maue confirmed Wednesday morning.

The department had received several reports in past weeks of explosions near where the man lived, WGEL reported. A warrant was served Monday for Matthews' arrest, and officials took bomb-making materials, bomb components, multiple firearms and ammunition from the home, according to the report.

At an arraignment in court Wednesday morning, Matthews told the judge he'll be hiring his own attorney. Matthews' bail was originally set at $50,000, meaning he would need to post 10 percent in cash — $5,000 — for his release on bond. Later Wednesday, Circuit Judge Stan Brandmeyer bumped the bail up to $100,000, meaning Matthews would need to post $10,000 in cash for his release on bond.

The judge ordered that, if Matthews is released on bond, he is subject to random drug testing as well as searches of his residence.

Domestic terrorism is a broad label and is often used to describe violent crimes like the Oklahoma City Bombing that occur on U.S. soil. But what does it mean? And can you be charged with it?

By

Kara Berg: 618-239-2626, @karaberg95

  Comments