Washington County, Maryland – A Baltimore man has been charged following a bomb threat made against the Washington County Circuit Court earlier this month.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal, the threat was reported Monday, Feb. 2, between approximately 7:30 and 7:40 a.m. Two court employees received telephone calls claiming there was a bomb inside the courthouse and that a judge was going to die. Court security protocols were immediately implemented, and law enforcement launched an investigation.
Detectives determined the threatening calls allegedly originated from the same prepaid cellular phone. Investigators later identified a retail location in Baltimore where the phone was purchased and obtained surveillance footage. Authorities said the individual who bought the phone was identified as Jamil Nicholas Gardner, 32, of Baltimore.
State fire marshals applied for charges and secured an arrest warrant. On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Gardner was taken into custody in Howard County by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the Maryland State Apprehension Team.
Gardner was transported to Washington County and is being held at the Washington County Detention Center pending an initial appearance before a District Court commissioner.
He has been charged with felony intimidation or influencing a juror, two counts of false statement regarding a destructive device, two counts of arson threat, threat of mass violence, and harm or threat of damage to a courthouse.
All charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
