North Carolina Man Charged with Making False Internet Bomb Threat to Federal Prison

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that an information was filed today in U.S. Middle District Court in Williamsport against Matthew Mitchell Wilson, age 22, of Indian Trail, North Carolina. The Information charges Wilson with e-mailing a false bomb threat to the Low Security Correctional Institution at Allenwood on March 31, 2012.

According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, the information alleges that on March 31, 2012, during a trip to visit his brother at the prison, Wilson sent an e-mail to the prison stating that there was a bomb in that facility.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Prosecution of this matter has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney George J. Rocktashel.

Indictments and criminal informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is 10 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances, and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect, the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational, and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.