An Illinois Man Called For Civil War — Then Police Found Pipe Bombs In His Home: Reports

PEKIN, IL — An Illinois man who called for civil war on social media had pipe bombs and bomb-making materials, according to reports.

Dalton L. Mattus, 34, is charged with being a felon in possession of a weapon after a May 17 incident, according to Tazewell County sheriff’s and court records.

Police in Pekin stopped Mattus and a female driver around 3 a.m. and discovered a locked bag in the vehicle, which was later found to contain a loaded gun and two pipe bombs, forcing the evacuation of Pekin City Hall, 25News reported. A search of Mattus’ apartment revealed three additional pipe bombs as well as ammunition and material to make the bombs, according to the outlet.

Mattus told police he made the bombs to protect himself from “undocumented immigrants and a corrupt government,” 25News reported.

In a joint report, Rolling Stone and American Doom detailed Mattus’ social media history in recent years.

Mattus repeatedly posted that the 2020 election was “rigged” against former president Donald Trump and called for “civil war against these domestic terrorist (sic),” according to the report.

He also complained that his children were removed by family and child protective services and “pumped full of vaccines they didn’t even need and for what reason but the (sic) poison them,” the report said.

A judge ordered that Mattus stay in jail while his case is pending as a matter of public safety, WMBD reported.

His next court date is set for June 20, court records said.