Donald Lee Haas, 60, of South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, is facing federal charges after allegedly unleashing a wave of terror through false bomb threats last May. The indictment, unsealed today, accuses Haas of calling in three separate bomb threats using a telephone—one targeting Lehigh Valley International Airport, another aimed at TGI Friday’s restaurant, and a third directed at the Lehigh Valley Mall. The incidents, all occurring on May 17, 2016, in Lehigh County, triggered emergency evacuations and law enforcement mobilizations across the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Authorities say Haas didn’t just threaten—he escalated. One of the four charges against him alleges he conveyed false information about carrying a bomb onto an airplane, a claim that carries especially severe penalties given its potential to disrupt national air travel and induce mass panic. Federal prosecutors, led by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger, wasted no time in pursuing the case, emphasizing that hoax threats like these strain public safety resources and terrorize innocent civilians.
If convicted, Haas faces a staggering maximum sentence of 50 years in federal prison. Additional penalties include a three-year period of supervised release, a $1,000,000 fine, and a $400 special assessment. These aren’t slap-on-the-wrist fines—they’re calculated to reflect the gravity of pretending to weaponize fear in public spaces. Each count of conveying false information via telephone is a standalone federal felony, underscoring how seriously the DOJ treats deliberate threats, regardless of whether explosives are real.
The investigation was a multi-agency blitz led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Allentown Resident Agency. It was bolstered by coordination from the Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority Police Department, the South Whitehall Township Police Department, and the Allentown Police Department. Their joint effort moved swiftly from threat to indictment, tracking digital and physical evidence to build a case that now rests in the hands of Assistant United States Attorney John Gallagher, who will lead the prosecution.
Haas is scheduled for his initial court appearance on Friday, December 16, 2016, at 2:30 p.m. The hearing will take place before the Honorable Henry S. Perkin, United States Magistrate Judge, at the Edward N. Cahn U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building, located at 504 Hamilton Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. No plea has been entered, and the defendant has not yet faced trial.
An indictment is not a conviction. Donald Lee Haas is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But the charges against him paint a damning picture of a man who allegedly weaponized panic for reasons still under investigation. As the case unfolds, one truth remains: in the eyes of the law, faking a bomb threat is no joke—it’s a federal crime with life-altering consequences.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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