ANCHORAGE, Alaska — James Pearce, 40, an Anchorage resident, has been charged by a federal grand jury for making a false bomb threat at the prestigious James Fitzgerald Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. The harrowing incident occurred on June 11, 2024.
Pearce is accused of falsely claiming to have planted explosive devices not only at the federal building but also at six other locations across Anchorage. His statements, which he claimed were linked to terrorist groups Al-Qaeda and ISIS and the Oklahoma City bombing, were made with such conviction that they led to an immediate evacuation of the building.
The man was apprehended on-site, resulting in a tense situation that was finally brought under control after the evacuation. According to court documents, Pearce is charged with one count of a bomb hoax at a federal building, violating 18 U.S.C. §1038(a)(1). If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The defendant’s initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the District Court for the District of Alaska is scheduled for an unspecified date. His sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office announced the charges. The investigation is being carried out by the FBI Anchorage Field Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Anchorage Field Office, Homeland Security Investigation, Federal Protective Service, with significant law enforcement support from the Anchorage Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Will Taylor and Mac Caille Petursson are prosecuting the case. It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation, and Pearce is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
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Key Facts
- State: Alaska
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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