'Ghost guns' defendant to be evaluated for competency, criminal responsibility

May 30—TRAVERSE CITY — A Traverse City man charged with multiple felony weapons crimes will undergo a forensic evaluation, officials said.

A preliminary hearing for Morgan Thomas Young, 28, scheduled for May 27 was adjourned for the evaluation to occur. No future court date has yet been scheduled.

"There has been a request for a forensic evaluation for competency and criminal responsibility. The case will be stayed until we have the results of those examinations," said Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Noelle Moeggenberg in an email this week.

Young faces three felony weapons counts after authorities found several loaded, concealed guns, a few "ghost guns," body armor and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition in his car. He pleaded not guilty in April when arraigned in 86th District Courts, defended by Traverse City attorney Mattias Johnson.

As previously reported in the Record-Eagle, a Grand Traverse County sheriff's deputy last month pulled over Young for suspected speeding in Garfield Township, and then asked if there were any firearms in the vehicle, according to the probable cause affidavit on file with the court.

The deputy found a loaded shotgun in the vehicle's back seat, and elsewhere in the vehicle found a semi-automatic pistol with an extended and loaded magazine, and also a loaded AR-style rile, the affidavit shows.

Court records also show neither the pistol nor the rifle had serial numbers. Additionally, there were numerous components for assembling firearms, often referred to a "ghost guns," the affidavit shows.

Moeggenberg previously explained how a ghost gun is a homemade or partially homemade firearm that lacks a serial number.

The deputy also found body armor and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition in the vehicle, records show.

Young remains detained at Grand Traverse County Jail in Traverse City.