David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TRAVAIL McLEAN, 18, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before Senior United States District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to one count of making false bomb threats over the telephone.

According to court documents and statements made in court, McLEAN admitted that on nine separate dates between September 23, 2010 and June 28, 2011, he made a total of 15 false bomb threat calls by telephone to the New Haven 911 call center.  Every call stated either that there were one or more bombs at a particular location or that the location was going to be blown up.  McLEAN knew at the time he made each call that the threat of bombs or of an explosion was false.  On all nine dates when McLEAN made the false threat calls, law enforcement emergency response teams promptly responded, cleared the area of people, and conducted a thorough search for bombs, explosives, and other dangerous materials.

The specific threat call to which McLEAN pled guilty occurred on February 23, 2011, and recorded McLEAN saying, “There is a bomb on the police station on Whalley . . . I have five bombs . . . enough to take out the whole . . .Whalley . . . you better send police there a-ap or I will blow it up.”

Judge Covello has scheduled sentencing for August 7, 2012, at which time McLEAN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Joint Terrorism Task Force and the New Haven Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Henry K. Kopel.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov

 

 

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