GRIMY TIMES EXCLUSIVE: In a shocking turn of events, Jason Keith Smith, 30, from Lincoln Park, Michigan, has pleaded guilty to multiple telephone bomb threats against San Benito High School in Hollister, California. United States Attorney Melinda Haag and FBI Special Agent David J. Johnson announced the charges.
Smith confessed that starting in November 2012, he initiated a series of menacing internet messages aimed at a student at San Benito High School. His sinister tactics escalated when, early December 2012, he placed numerous bomb threats from his Michigan residence to the school, causing widespread panic and significant law enforcement resources to be deployed.
On December 2 and 3, 2012, Smith, falsely posing as a police detective, called San Benito High School and warned that the student was in legal trouble. His chilling messages included threats of violence against the school, with one message stating there was a bomb and instructions for hiding. The school was evacuated multiple times due to his actions.
Charged with Interstate Communications (Threat) under 18 U.S.C. § 875(c), Smith has been in federal custody since October 6, 2014. Sentencing is set for June 3, 2015, with a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Fazioli and Kevin Mulcahy, with Legal Assistant Laurie Worthen providing crucial support. The investigation was a collaborative effort between the FBI’s Northern California and Detroit divisions, Hollister Police Department, and Lincoln Park Police Department.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Cybercrime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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