Texarkana Man Sentenced for Making Bomb Threats

Fake Threat Causes Hospital Evacuation, Diverts Emergency Responders

TEXARKANA, TX—A 30-year-old Texarkana, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison in connection with a bomb threat in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Brandon Forsyth pleaded guilty on Nov. 1, 2010, to false information and hoaxes and was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge David Folsom.

According to information presented in court, on Apr. 27, 2010 and May 29, 2010, Forsyth called Health South Rehabilitation Hospital in Texarkana, Texas and made a false bomb threat. Also, on May 29, 2010, Forsyth created, placed, and then pretended to find a note in the hospital which stated that, “Healthsouth killed my mother and there was a bomb in the building and that it was going to explode in 20 minutes." He also created and placed a fake explosive device in the hospital which was found by law enforcement on May 30, 2010. As a result, patients were evacuated twice from the hospital, and several law enforcement agencies, including the bomb squad, had to report to the scene. Forsyth was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 4, 2010.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas Police Departments, and the Bossier City, Louisiana Bomb Squad and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise O. Simpson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Kummerfeld.