California Woman Pleads Guilty to Threatening Minot Air Force Base

BISMARCK – U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on Nov. 4, 2013, Tiffany S. Anderson, 24, Lompoc, California, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on two counts of communicating a threat to destroy property by explosive and one count of interstate threatening communications.

On Nov. 6, 2012, and on Dec. 19, 2012, Anderson called the Minot Air Force Base from California and falsely reported there was a bomb on the base. On Dec. 20, 2012, Anderson called the Minot Public Schools Head Start program located at the Minot Air Force Base and threatened to shoot children at the school. During her plea hearing, Anderson admitted she made the threats in an attempt to cause trouble for her former boyfriend who was an Airman stationed at the base. Anderson disguised the number she was calling from by using a Voice Over Internet Protocol (“VOIP”) service. Through their investigation, law enforcement agents were able to determine the calls were made by Anderson from her iPhone.

Each charge carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Minot Air Force Base Office of Special Investigations.

Sentencing for Anderson has been scheduled for Feb. 3, 2014, in U.S. District Court in Bismarck, N.D., at 9:00 a.m.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Volk is prosecuting the case.