Hamilton Man Pleads Guilty to Bomb Threats Against Cincinnati Airport and Other Cincinnati Area Landmarks
| U.S. Attorney’s Office June 25, 2009 |
CINCINNATI—Frederick D. Purvis, 42, of Hamilton, pleaded guilty in United States District Court here today to one count of making a bomb threat in the Southern District of Ohio and one count of making a bomb threat in the Eastern District of Kentucky for messages he sent in November 2008 threatening to blow up seven Cincinnati area landmarks including the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Gregory G. Lockhart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, James A. Zerhusen, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Keith L. Bennett, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division, and Timothy D. Cox, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Louisville Division, announced the plea entered before Chief United States District Judge Susan J. Dlott.
In the plea agreement Purvis signed with both districts, he admits that he drove to a hotel in Fairfield, Ohio on November 13, 2009, logged onto the Internet and created an e-mail account under a fake name. Purvis used the account to send an e-mail to the FBI website claiming that he had planted bombs in seven locations and that the bombs would explode over the upcoming weekend.
Purvis claimed he had placed bombs at Paul Brown Stadium, the Brent Spence Bridge, the Big Mac Bridge, the Old Coney Bridge, the Indiana Kentucky Bridge near Argosy Casino, Argosy Casino, and the airport.
Purvis admitted that on November 14, he checked into a hotel in Erlanger, Kentucky, created another e-mail account and sent an e-mail to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Contact Center claiming that he had placed a bomb at the airport and that it would explode between November 15 and 19.
Members of the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs) arrested Purvis at an Erlanger, Kentucky hotel on November 20, 2008 without incident. No bombs were ever found.
Each count is punishable by up to ten years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. Judge Dlott will set a date for sentencing. Purvis will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Lockhart commended the cooperative investigation by the agents and officers of the FBI, Cincinnati Police Department, West Chester Police Department, the Federal Air Marshal Service, Hamilton Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, Butler County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Secret Service, Kentucky State Police, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport Police, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.