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FEDERAL GRAND JURY INDICTS MAINE MAN
FOR BOMB THREATS AGAINST PORTLAND JETPORTWASHINGTON, D.C. -- A federal grand jury in Portland, Maine, today indicted a Portland man for allegedly phoning in bomb threats to the Portland International Jetport, the home of former President George Bush, and an office building in Portland, as well as sending threatening letters to the U.S. Attorney in Maine.
The 11-count indictment, returned today in U.S. District Court in Portland, charges that on June 19 and 20, 1999, Charles M. Hall, made telephone bomb threats against the jetport, which caused the facility to close temporarily.
It also alleges that Hall made bomb threats against the Kennebunkport home of former President George Bush on June 20, 1999, and made a bomb threat against an office building known as One City Center on December 1, 1998 and June 20, 1999. Further, it alleges that Hall sent threatening letters to Jay P. McCloskey, the U.S. Attorney in Maine, whose office was investigating Hall for the December telephone bomb threat.
At the time of the phone threats, Hall, 28, was being held at the Cumberland County Jail. No bombs were found in any of the threatened locations.
The indictment charges Hall with four counts of willfully making bomb threats by telephone or mail, four counts of knowingly mailing threatening letters with the intent to extort money or another thing of value, one count of knowingly mailing a threatening letter, and one count of threatening to murder a federal law enforcement officer with intent to impede, intimidate, interfere with, or retaliate against the officer while engaged in, or on account of, the performance of his official duties.
Hall faces up to 150 years in prison if convicted on all counts. He will be arraigned in federal District Court in Portland early next month.
The case was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the ATF, U.S. Secret Service, and the Cumberland County, Maine, Sheriff's Office.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proved guilty.
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