A Katy man, Michael Seery, who was previously arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm, has now been linked to a botched murder-for-hire plot, as per court documents. Seery's expansive arsenal of 57 firearms was discovered during FBI raids on his properties earlier this month. In addition to acquiring and possessing these weapons illegally, Seery is accused of equipping accomplices involved in a shooting on Texas State Highway 99 on February 4 that left the intended victim injured but alive, as reported by Click2Houston.
According to ABC13, the firearms and a 3D printer believed to be used for creating gun accessories were recovered from Seery's residence, office, and a storage unit. Prosecutors said Seery supplied the vehicle, and the gun used in the shooting, and may have coordinated or been involved in the February incident. Ricardo Obando and his step-son, Matthew Rosas, have been charged in connection to the shooting, with the former employed by Seery's construction company. The pair are accused of executing the shooting on Grand Parkway and Mason Road, captured on the victim's work truck dash camera.
"The Co-Defendant confessed to officers that the Defendant was paid cash money to kill the Complainant," reads a court document, detailing Rosas' admission of the hired attack and his role in facilitating it. During the course of the investigation, phone records indicated contact between Seery and the shooter just prior to the surveillance of the victim, hinting at a prior meeting that could have been linked to the attack planning. Despite the allegations, Seery is currently not charged with attempted murder, as per report by ABC13.
Seery's defense attorney, Chip Lewis, sifted the focus away from his client implicating that any issues lay between Obando and the shooting victim. "All I know is (Obando) worked for (Seery) and does not work for him any longer, has no part of the relationship with the underlying victim, and wants no part of it," Lewis told ABC13 outside of the courthouse. As of now, Seery has been released on a $75,000 bond under GPS monitoring by order of Judge Richard Bennett, a decision he admits to being difficult, given the gravity of Seery's alleged offenses, and acknowledges that he would reconsider if more charges are brought forth.
