A Somersworth man was left shaken after receiving two hoax bomb threats to the city hall building.
John Leon Rupert, 29, of Scarborough, Maine, pleaded guilty in federal court to making interstate threats, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 3, 2021, two calls were received by employees at Somersworth City Hall in which a computer-generated voice stated there was a bomb inside the building.
The building was evacuated and it was determined there were no explosive devices.
The calls were tracked to an IP address at Rupert’s residence in Scarborough, Maine.
On February 15, 2021, agents executed a federal search warrant at the residence.
Rupert admitted he was the person who made the calls because he was angry about an injury received at a massage parlor in Somersworth.
Rupert is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2021.
‘Bomb threat hoaxes are serious crimes that can disrupt communities and divert law enforcement resources from other priorities,’ said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.
‘As a result of this defendant’s conduct, Somersworth City Hall was evacuated and many innocent people were inconvenienced.
‘I am grateful to the FBI and the Somersworth Police Department for their rapid efforts to identify the individual responsible for making these threats.
‘As this case demonstrates, we will work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those responsible for making bomb threats.’
Related Federal Cases
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- Kyle Hendrickson, School Threat, New Hampshire 2024 · New Hampshire
- John Doe, Armed Robbery, Maine 2024 · New Hampshire
- John T. Hines, Federal Firearms Violation, Maine 2023 · Washington
- John T. Hines, Unlawful Possession of Firearms, Maine 2016 · Washington
Key Facts
- State: New Hampshire
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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