A hoax bomb charge has led to the guilty plea of Mark Ashley Robert, 37, in the Northern District of Texas.
According to federal authorities, Robert admitted to placing a device on the Kansas City Rail Line railroad tracks in Dallas early on December 21, 2018.
A railroad conductor spotted the suspicious device, which resembled an improvised explosive device (IED), while operating on the railroad. The conductor observed a red and green flashing LED light in the middle of the tracks and what appeared to be a box wrapped in electrical tape with a nine-volt battery attached.
The Dallas Police Department Bomb Squad responded to the scene and assessed the device, determining it to be a hoax. Law enforcement submitted the remaining parts of the device to the FBI for latent print examination, where Robert’s fingerprints were recovered.
Robert now faces up to 5 years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has been set for March 5, 2021.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Police Department, with the assistance of the Kansas City Southern Railway Company. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Eggers is prosecuting this case.
Robert’s case serves as a reminder of the importance of taking all suspicious activity seriously and reporting it to the authorities.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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