Battle Creek Man, Timothy Siangdun, Sentenced To Eight Months’ Confinement For School Shooting Threats

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Miles, Jr. announced that Timothy Siangdun of Battle Creek, Michigan was sentenced to eight months’ confinement and two years of supervised release for making a Facebook post that threatened school shootings at Western Michigan University. Siangdun also was ordered to stay off the campus of Western Michigan University and was prohibited from posting any communications on any social media platform for the two year term of his supervised release. Siangdun made the Facebook threat following a trial and guilty verdict on related Facebook threat postings before United States District Judge Janet T. Neff on March 12, 2015. Siangdun pleaded guilty to the present charges on August 4, 2015.

          The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan was assisted in the investigation by the Springfield Department of Public Safety, Western Michigan University Department of Public Safety, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Calhoun County Prosecuting Attorney, Battle Creek Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

          U.S. Attorney Miles praised federal, state, and local investigators in locating and prosecuting Siangdun. "Online threats of violence have no place in the Western District of Michigan. We will continue to use all available prosecution tools to ensure that Western Michigan universities and learning institutions are safe for faculty, staff, students, family, and the public."

          "These types of threats are never discounted or taken lightly by the FBI. Public safety is our utmost concern, and every threat of this nature is treated as legitimate," stated David P. Gelios, Special Agent in Charge, FBI - Detroit Division. "Mr. Siangdun repeatedly posted threats of a school shooting at Western Michigan University, and threatened other violence online via social media. Even after being convicted for doing so, and after being cautioned against doing so by a federal judge, he persisted in posting an additional threat. As always, we continually work to identify, pursue, and hold accountable individuals who use the internet or other means to broadcast these types of threats."

          This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay M. West.

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