Prosecutors have added five more counts against a Mansfield, Ohio man suspected in dozens of bomb threats made to courthouses and other public buildings last year in five states, including Nebraska.
The FBI arrested 39-year-old Lonny Bristow last week on one bomb threat count and said prosecutors have added five more. The additional counts were detailed in a court filing which usually signals a pending plea deal. There was no immediate comment from Bristow's public defender.
The FBI said Bristow was arrested in the investigation of bomb threats made in November and December to courthouses and public buildings in Nebraska, Washington, Oregon, Tennessee and Mississippi. The FBI said it traced numerous bomb threats to prepaid phone cards purchased at a Wal-Mart in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, about 40 miles west of Mansfield.
Bomb threats were received at nine southeastern Nebraska courthouses on November 2nd. The calls, which were received between 11:06 a.m. and 11: 36 a.m., were made to courthouses in Cass, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Lancaster, Otoe, Richardson, Saline and Seward counties.
In each case, a male caller indicated there was an explosive device in the courthouse. Local authorities evacuated and cleared the buildings. No credible threat was found at any of the locations receiving the calls.
