Gabriel Metcalf sits in jail, without the possibility of bail, for defending his mother, Vivian, and their home in Billings, Montana.
Their modest home is across the street from the Broadwater Elementary School. Gabriel was keeping watch with a single-shot shotgun and a camera after numerous threats and attacks against him and his elderly mother. They had a restraining order (order of protection), to keep a former neighbor, David Lee Carpenter, from coming within 1,500 feet of them or their home. The complaint lists a number of threats from David Lee Carpenter and a person who was living with him at the rented house next door to Gabriel (Gabe) at 426 Broadwater in Billings, Montana.
Above is a transcription of the complaint.
Victim of Stalking Other is circled, then an explanation:
Neighbor. Rents. Verbal abuse, racial slurs (I am not white) Threats of gang violence threats to kill and skin my rabbit. Tried to light me (or my son) on fire like a human torch. He said he knows where I sleep he’ll “burn” me out.Â
Information about the violence.
He thinks nothing of screaming at a 70 year old grandmother of 10 and insulting. Poisoned my 80 yr old lilac trees (bushes), poisoned the Horseradish plant with motor oil, tresspasses onto my property, poisoned were he knows I harvest food for the rabbit, threatened to kill and skin the rabbit.
Where did this take place?
 I am always on my property when this is happening.Â
Did the respondent use a gun or other weapon?
No. But he had a ball hitch & was about to hit my son and/or me with it.Â
Describe any injuries.
Emotional. Severe PTSD. Hair is now falling out. Can’t sleep.
Did the police come? Yes
After the fact. I read the reports, not totally accurate. They down played it. He says He’ll come back and get us, even if it takes 2 years. His roomie has stood bare chested w/pants to his knees at the property’s edge & has mooned us twice. Caught it once on video.Â
He yells at us “Go Home”. We are home. That is my property. Does he mean go home to another country? I am afraid at night – he drinks & yell at me/us, afraid to leave to even go to work. His roomie says he’s in a gang. Joe is the only name I know him by. I have noticed odd traffic in the ally. He said his gang will take care of this.
On the second page of the complaint, Vivian responds to a statement, “Respondent threatened me with firearms,” by crossing out the word firearms and substituting FIRE!, indicating the weapon used was a threat of arson.
Vivian, Gabe’s mother, says the court issued a temporary restraining order/protection order. She says Carpenter has a lawn service company, Broadwater Lawn Care. The website states David Carpenter of Billings, Montana is the owner. There are only three reviews on Yelp. Two are not complimentary. Vivian delivered a sample of what she believes is the herbicide used to kill her lilac bushes to the judge in this case. Carpenter had to move, but Vivian says his landlord had already refused to renew his lease.
Dean Weingarten Discusses the Case on Bill Frady’s Lock & Load Radio www.locknloadradio.com
Both Gabe & Vivian Metcalf have described an incident where they accuse David Lee Carpenter of trying to kill them with fire.
As they describe it, Carpenter poured gasoline on a place where Vivian would pick dandelions to feed her pet rabbit. He positioned a large, riding lawnmower close to the property line fence, with the engine revved up to mask any noise. He had two large leaf blowers positioned to boost the flames and blow the flames onto Gabe or Vivian when they got into the position, a relatively confined place next to their house. Carpenter started yelling and screaming to attract them. Gabe was there but was cautious. He noticed Carpenter had poured gasoline. Vivian also showed up and started to confront Carpenter. Gabe worked to push his mother away from the gasoline. Vivian says Carpenter attempted to light the gasoline with an elongated barbecue-type lighter, but it failed to ignite. The police were called. Vivian was not impressed with their investigation, saying they downplayed the situation and did not even come to the scene to investigate.
On August 29, 2022, a ten-year order of protection was issued against David Lee Carpenter, valid until August 29, 2032.
Vivian says David Lee Carpenter violated the restraining order repeatedly.
Carpenter was convicted of assault-bodily injury against Gabe Metcalf while Carpenter was violating the restraining order. Carpenter was required to wear an ankle monitor. Vivien saw him violating the order of protection and called the police to check the ankle monitor records to show he drove past the front of their house twice. Nothing was done. The police said the people who monitor the ankle monitor would contact Vivian and Gabe if the ankle monitor showed Carpenter was violating the restraining order/order of protection.
Because of repeated violations of the permanent order of protection, a warrant was issued for Carpenter’s arrest. Carpenter was finally arrested on July 31, 2023. He bonded out. According to Vivian, at the hearing, the County Attorney asked the ankle monitor be retained on Carpenter. The judge decided Carpenter would not be required to be on an ankle monitor while awaiting another trial scheduled for January 2024.
Gabe started standing out front of the house with his single-shot shotgun and a camera on August 2, 2023. Vivien says that because the police required evidence before they would do anything about violations of the restraining order, she and Gabe would try to obtain pictures of vehicles they thought Carpenter was in to document the violations. One of the reasons given by Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan to justify the pretrial detention order was Gabe had “chased automobiles.”
Those who follow violent crimes and orders of protection know they are mere bits of paper that offer little protection unless backed up by force. Far too many women have been killed while they have a restraining order in place.
Gabriel’s mother has set up a GiveSendGo site to help defend their home, the Second Amendment, and work to free Gabriel from this unjust pre-trial detention.
Read Related
-
No Bail in Non-Violent Gun-Free School Zone Case in Montana
-
Criminal Complaint Filed in Montana Gun Free School Zone Case
-
Montana Man Arrested by ATF for Carrying Gun in a School Zone
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
This is beyond “fiasco”. It’s horrifying.
I live in west central Florida, south Sarasota County in a small unincorporated community. We have no mayor, no town council or, organized police force. We have county Sheriffs Deputies. I’m a disabled senior and I always carry a gun.
I asked a Sheriff’s deputy what to do if someone attacks me. He said “Shoot ‘em then call us! Also, I live within 1000’ feet of a Grade School. I drive by it every time I go somewhere. Some times I walk by. No one ever questions me. Carry concealed everywhere. Your safety and your life is your responsibility!
Do you have a license to carry issued by Florida? Should get one so that even if you are forced to draw your firearm right in front of the school, even the feds won’t be able to charge you under federal GFSZ law. OK – they cannot charge you if they follow the law. Good lawyer could get you off instead of you ending up like Mr Metcalf.
#Faft #FJB #FCornyn
#GigEmBrandon
I started out in 2003 with anon resident. In 2010 I moved to Florida and became a resident. I then converted over to resident automatically. We no longer need a permit but I will keep mine because it’s recognized in 36 States.
more and more evidence of innocence or at least being a victim. how much more is going to have to come out until this innocent man is released from jail?
these asshats in the bpd and atf need something like this to happen to them to get a new perspective into this incident. but that wouldn’t really happen, they would have the offender in jail already because they look after their own, and not really anyone else.
Questionare asks: “Did respondent use a gun or other weapon?” Answer was “No, but he had.” That is incorrect, should have said “Yes he had.” We all know that blunt objects/clubs are used for homicide far more often than rifles including those dreaded ARs. Respondent absolutely was armed with a deadly weapon when swinging ball-hitch.
Government failure compounded by government over reach . Hope he gets a good lawyer and sues them for millions and wins for violating his rights.
There’s a real possibility of big money here. The US Supreme Court already declared a similar law unconstitutional. Might be enough to toss qualified immunity out the window.
Instead of tax papers picking up the tab if he wins I think every ATF agents who took part in his arrest should have to pony up the money to pay the judgement . These clowns would think twice about this type of over reach then.
Exactly , he is just another transplant that’s full of shit . I voted libratarian in our governor race as I think Greg is a rich puke that bought the governors office .
Gabe, Have you ever whooped somebody’s ass so bad they’re terrified to be around you? Now’s the time.
Typical “I’m from the government and I’m here to help you”…Punish the victim… Good lord have mercy! No justice for POC in Montana.
FWIW I’m Euro-descended, not a POC.
Seems obvious to me that the cops know and knew all about this. So, who was the complaining party that got him arrested? Why did the cops not realize what was going on? Who is the D.A. that allowed charger to be brought? With this information, the arrest was obviously unjust. Were the bad guys unarmed during all that lead up to this arrest? NO, they were armed. More people are murdered through blunt force trauma that with firearms, edged weapons and poison combined. At that point in time force, deadly force could have been legally and morally applied in… Read more »