A Point Loma man who posed with an assault rifle on social media in a threat to Torrey Pines High School was sentenced Friday, Aug. 10, to one year in a residential treatment program on terms of five years probation. Kevin Gregory Matlak, 21, a Torrey Pines graduate, was allowed to be released from jail Friday with a representative of the program who was also in court.
Matlak received credit of serving 93 days in custody from San Diego Superior Court Judge Polly Shamoon.
“You cannot leave this program without the court’s permission,” said Shamoon to Matlak.
Shamoon also ordered Matlak to not come within 1,000 yards of Torrey Pines High School and to have no contact with three people who had contacted the school about the threat.
The judge read a letter from the high school principal who wrote about the lasting impact of the Instagram message that Matlak posted in late May that disrupted the schedules of students, their families, and employees. As a precaution, Torrey Pines High School closed for one day on May 31.
Matlak made some vague threats about disrupting the graduation ceremony, saying “I hate all of you. I hope I die tonight.”
Matlak was arrested May 30 at a Point Loma house and police seized the AR-15 that he was shown holding in the Instagram message.
Deputy District Attorney Matthew Greco said the residential program where Matlak will live was “relatively remote,” near an Indian reservation in East County.
The judge told Matlak he would have to surrender his cell phone and provide a password or way to unlock the phone to any law enforcement officer who requested it. Shamoon said this was a probation condition and it would be “an automatic violation” if he refused to do it.
His attorney, Brian Watkins, told the judge Matlak “doesn’t know” the three people who contacted the school about the threat.
Shamoon ordered Matlak to return to court on Dec. 4 for a review hearing.
Matlak pleaded guilty July 10 to making a criminal threat, and two other threat charges were dismissed. A separate case of identity theft was dismissed that involved Matlak using a credit card that belonged to his mother’s boyfriend.
He initially was housed in the San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital on Rosecrans Street, but he was transferred into the George Bailey Detention Facility on June 29.
Matlak could have received a maximum term of four years and four months in state prison.
