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Homeless Man Sentenced for Conveying a False Threat in Illinois
In a disturbing case, a homeless man in Illinois has been sentenced for conveying a false threat after making threats to burn cars in a courthouse parking lot and a post office.
Oliver M. Dotts, a 41-year-old man with no fixed address, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. This sentence was handed down on February 26, 2015, in the Southern District of Illinois.
The investigation into Dotts began on July 8, 2014, when he came to the Federal Courthouse in East St. Louis, Illinois, and asked to speak with a Deputy United States Marshal (DUSM). Dotts told the DUSM that he was having bad thoughts and not thinking right.
When asked what he meant, Dotts replied that he was thinking about getting some gas and burning some cars in the Courthouse parking lot, and also that he wanted to get some gas and burn down the f**king Post Office. Despite the DUSM’s efforts to calm him down, Dotts continued to make the threats.
A Special Agent with the Department of Homeland Security – Federal Protective Service (FPS) arrived at the Federal Courthouse and interviewed Dotts. When asked if he was serious about the comments he made to the DUSM, Dotts said that he was serious, and that he planned to carry out the threats when he left the Courthouse.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshal Service and the Department of Homeland Security – Federal Protective Service. Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott was assigned to the case.
The investigation and subsequent sentence serve as a reminder of the importance of taking threats seriously and the consequences of making false threats.
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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