East Lansing man charged with threatening FBI agents in Facebook comments

GRAND RAPIDS — An East Lansing man has been charged with two federal crimes after police say he threatened to assault and kill an FBI agent who interviewed him about Facebook comments and posts the agency flagged as threatening. 

The FBI flagged a comment Thomas Matsudo, 29, made on Facebook on Dec. 14 where Matsudo made "veiled threats toward FBI employees," according to court records. 

This was not the first time Matsudo's comments had been flagged by the federal agency, according to court records. In December, Matsudo "exhibited escalating behavior in many of his comments on posts by the FBI's Facebook page." 

Matsudo's attorney, Chip Chamberlain, did not respond for comment Thursday. 

Many of the posts were rambling and incoherent, according to court records. Three included posts read: "DEAD POLICE IS JUSTICE," "Black hat fraud extortion dead police" and “I OWN PEPPER SPRAY AND GUNS. EXPECT TO BE FACING THE GUN." 

Special Agent Drew DeCoster interviewed Matsudo in early January about the posts. Matsudo told DeCoster he had purchased a gun and owned seven total, according to court records. However, a Law Enforcement Information Network query showed he has four registered guns and a concealed pistol license. 

In the span of three days in March, Matsudo made 15 comments on the FBI's Facebook page, according to court records. He referenced DeCoster and the “BTCH that asked me to stop commenting on FBI post" in five comments. 

"I AM GOING TO STROBE LIGHT YOU EVERYDAY TILL YOU SEIZE UP AND DIE. LOOK AT ME I AM THE VERY ANGRY MAN WITH A LOADED AR15 WILLING TO SHOOT YOU THE CHILD GROOMING SEX ABUSING FAKE COPS DEAD. I WOULD RATHER SHOOT YOU THE GANG STALKING FBI AGENT IN THE HEAD WITH MY 30-06 AND LEAVE YOU IN A DITCH TO ROT...," one of the comments read. 

Matsudo is charged with influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal officer, which carries up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and making a threat across state lines, which carries up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 

He was released on $25,000 bail, but must live in a residential facility that houses parolees and probationers in Grand Rapids. 

Contact reporter Kara Berg at 517-377-1113 or kberg@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @karaberg95.