Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
A man from Bristol Township’s Levittown section pleaded guilty in a case involving threats to a local high school.
Advertisements
Earlier this spring, Matthew Zio, who turns 20 this week, pleaded guilty before Buck County Court of Common Pleas Senior Judge Rea Boylan to terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another and terroristic threats to cause serious public inconvenience. He made the plea in Wellness Court, which was previously called Mental Health Court.
Instead of a traditional sentence, the young man was ordered by Boylan to follow the rules of Wellness Court, a diversionary program, have no contact with the victims, undergo treatment, and comply with recommendations from experts.
“The resources available through Wellness Court should allow for Mr. Zio to get the help and treatment needed to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” said Daniel Schatz, Zio’s attorney.
Advertisements
Last November, Bristol Township police and an FBI special agent and a federal task force officer responded to Harry S. Truman High School after TikTok reported a user for allegedly making threatening posts, according to court papers.
Zio was connected to the account and he was found at his Bristol Township residence, police said.
Advertisements
During an interview, Zio admitted to making the threats and stated that if he had a firearm, he would potentially carry out the attack, police said.
Zio is a former student of Harry S. Truman High School and specified the school as the intended target, police said.
The reported threats led to security warnings at Bristol Township School District buildings and worried officials at nearby schools.
Advertisements
The district took heat from parents for a delay in letting them know about the incident. Many learned of the arrest following a LevittownNow.com report.
According to the county courts system, Wellness Court is a partnership between the mental health and criminal justice systems. Its goal is to help probation/parole violators and post-plea, pre-sentence offenders who have a “serious mental illness diagnosis.”
Advertisements
Report a correction via email | Editorial standards and policies
