FOLSOM — A federal magistrate judge has ordered that a Folsom man remain in custody following his first court appearance, ruling that he should stay detained until a mental health treatment facility is identified.
Curt Taras, 53, was arrested earlier this week by the FBI Sacramento Field Office in collaboration with Folsom Police on a federal charge of possession of a firearm in a school zone. The case stems from a September incident at Folsom High School that led to two subsequent arrests and growing concern across the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.
During Friday’s hearing in U.S. District Court, Magistrate Judge Sean Riordan determined that Taras should not be released on bail until arrangements can be made for inpatient mental health care. The decision came after prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed that Taras, who faces both state and federal charges, is suffering from a mental health crisis that has complicated the overlapping court proceedings.
Defense attorneys Matthew Taylor and Mark Reichel told the court that Taras’s case has become entangled between the state and federal systems. Hearings that had been scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Sacramento Superior Court were delayed because Taras remained in federal custody, prompting a bench warrant and postponing a plea deal that would have allowed him to begin a veterans’ treatment program.
Taylor said Taras’s behavior stemmed from a mental health episode triggered by stress related to his family situation and military-related trauma. He said Taras — a civil engineer and Air Force veteran who suffered a traumatic brain injury and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder — went to Folsom High School out of paranoid concern for student safety, not to cause harm.
Taras was first arrested by Folsom Police on Sept. 24 after reportedly refusing to leave Folsom High School and making threatening statements. Officers said he was armed with a knife and later found a firearm, a high-capacity magazine, and another knife locked inside his vehicle. He was booked on suspicion of making criminal threats and possession of a firearm in a school zone and released on bail the following day.
On Oct. 13, Taras was arrested again after being seen on the grounds of Sandra J. Gallardo Elementary School, where his son is a student, in violation of a restraining order related to a family matter. Police confirmed he was not armed at the time.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Abendroth told the court that 11 firearms were registered to Taras, including one that was not immediately turned over to police as required under the court order. Abendroth argued that Taras’s repeated visits to schools and his ongoing contact with family members under protective order conditions raised legitimate safety concerns.
Judge Riordan agreed that the case presented overlapping issues of public safety and mental health. “This might seem like a strange outcome,” he told Taras. “You have a state court releasing you on bail, and you have me ordering you detained.”
Taras’s attorneys said the federal action interrupted a pending state court plea agreement under which he would have pleaded guilty to violating a court order and entered veterans’ treatment court for supervised therapy. U.S. Attorney Eric Grant declined to comment on why federal authorities intervened in the case, citing the ongoing federal government shutdown.
At Friday’s hearing, Judge Riordan said Taras would remain in custody until an appropriate inpatient treatment facility is identified. “It’s clear that you need help,” Riordan told him. “The goal here is to ensure both your safety and the safety of the community.”
Law enforcement officials said coordination continues among the FBI, Folsom Police, and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office to maintain safety and support the district’s ongoing security measures.
Timeline: From initial campus threats to federal custody
The following chronology outlines the series of events that led to Taras’s federal detention, tracing the sequence of school-related incidents, arrests, and court actions that have prompted a coordinated local and federal response.
Sept. 24 – First arrest at Folsom High School
Folsom Police responded to reports of a man refusing to leave Folsom High School and making alarming statements. Officers said Curt Taras was armed with a knife and allegedly made threatening remarks referencing “sniper points,” prompting an immediate staff response. A search of his vehicle uncovered a firearm, a high-capacity magazine, and another knife. He was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on suspicion of making criminal threats and possession of a firearm on school grounds and released on bail the following day.
Late September – Court orders and prior history
Following the arrest, investigators learned Taras was subject to a domestic-violence restraining order reportedly filed by his wife, requiring him to surrender all firearms and ammunition. Records indicate he was reportedly arrested in 2024 on domestic-violence charges, including corporal injury.
In the days following the arrest – District safety efforts
In the days following the first incident, Folsom Cordova Unified School District officials worked with police to strengthen security. Additional patrols were assigned near campuses, School Resource Officers expanded their presence, and visitor check-in procedures were reinforced. Taras was permanently banned from all school properties.
Oct. 13 – Second arrest at Sandra J. Gallardo Elementary
Despite the ban, Taras was seen walking through the Sandra J. Gallardo Elementary School campus around 2 p.m. on Columbus Day, a non-student day. Officers later located him at his home and arrested him for violating a court order. Police confirmed he was not armed.
Oct. 14 – Joint safety statement issued
The next day, the Folsom Police Department and Folsom Cordova Unified School District released a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to campus safety and increased coordination with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.
Oct. 15 – Taras issues statement to media
Early Wednesday, Taras emailed a statement to Folsom Times and other outlets describing his earlier arrests as misunderstandings tied to his medical condition. “I had a misunderstanding in response to the vandalism at Folsom High School which was a trauma response,” he wrote, saying he suffers from a traumatic brain injury and did not intend harm.
Oct. 15 – Federal arrest
Later that day, federal agents from the FBI Sacramento Field Office arrested Taras on a federal firearm charge stemming from the Sept. 24 incident. He was taken into custody without incident.
Oct. 17 -Federal court detention order
During Friday’s hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Sean Riordan ordered Taras to remain detained until a mental health facility could be found to begin treatment. The ruling temporarily halts a state-level plea deal that would have placed him in veterans’ treatment court.
Law enforcement officials said local, county, and federal agencies will continue to coordinate as the case moves forward and emphasized that student and community safety remain their top priority.
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