Eastover Man Sentenced for Bomb Threat, Possession of Child Pornography

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Sidney L. Myers, age 21, of Eastover, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for willfully making a threat to damage buildings by means of explosive, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(e), and possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A. Myers also must register as a sex offender. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. of Columbia presided over the hearing.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing last August established that Myers placed two phone calls to Eau Claire High School in Columbia on the morning of November 2, 2011. He claimed to have put six bombs around the school. Subsequent investigation into phone records linked the threats to Myers’ number. When confronted, Myers confessed to placing the calls.

During the bomb threat investigation, FBI agents analyzed Myers’ phone and found that it contained six videos of him engaging in sexual activity with a minor who was 16 years old. Because the phone had traveled in interstate commerce, this constituted a federal child pornography offense.

The case was investigated by agents of the FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys Dean Eichelberger and Winston Holliday of the Columbia office handled the case.