Transient Man Sentenced for Threatening to Bomb School

From the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Montana:

A man who admitted to making threats to blow up Dodson School was sentenced today to one year and one month in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.

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Jacob Edwin Wilson, 40, a transient, pleaded guilty in January to charges of false information and hoaxes. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case and ordered Wilson to pay $7,000 in restitution.

According to the court

The incident occurred on August 29, 2023, when Wilson called both the Blaine County 911 emergency number and Dodson School, located near the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, and stated he was “about to blow Dodson school up.” This alarming threat prompted immediate action from law enforcement and school officials. The superintendent and principal swiftly evacuated students and staff to a nearby church parking lot for safety.

Responders from the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office, the Malta Fire Department, and the U.S. Border Patrol set up a secure perimeter and conducted a thorough search of the school. Thankfully, no explosive device was found.

Wilson did not stop there; he called 911 again, requesting a ride off the reservation and specifying that he did not want assistance from the Fort Belknap police. Authorities tracked down Wilson and arrested him at a private residence.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes, with the investigation being a joint effort by the FBI, Fort Belknap Tribal Police, Phillips County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Border Patrol, and Malta Fire Department.