Brian Williams, a former Los Angeles deputy mayor, has agreed to plead responsible to a felony cost for reporting a faux bomb menace to Metropolis Corridor final yr, prosecutors introduced Thursday, Might 22.
Williams, 61, of Pasadena is charged with a single depend of threats concerning fireplace and explosives, a felony carrying a attainable jail sentence of as much as 10 years, in response to the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace.
In response to his plea settlement, on Oct. 3, 2024, whereas serving as Mayor Karen Bass’ deputy mayor of public security, Williams participated in a digital assembly with a number of folks in connection together with his official duties. Through the assembly, Williams used the Google Voice software on his private mobile phone to position a name to his city-issued telephone, court docket papers present.
Williams then left the digital assembly and referred to as the Los Angeles Police Division’s chief of workers, falsely claiming he had simply acquired a bomb menace to Metropolis Corridor on his city-issued telephone from an unknown man, in response to federal prosecutors.
About 10 minutes later, Williams despatched a textual content message to Bass and several other high-ranking metropolis officers and falsely reported, “Bomb menace: I acquired telephone name on my metropolis cell at 10:48 am this morning. The male caller said that `he was uninterested in town help of Israel, and he has determined to position a bomb in Metropolis Corridor. It may be within the rotunda.’ I instantly contacted the chief of workers of LAPD, they will ship quite a lot of officers over to do a search of the constructing and to find out if anybody else acquired a menace.”
Williams then despatched further textual content messages to Bass and different metropolis officers stating, “At the moment, there isn’t any want for us to evacuate the constructing, I’m assembly with the menace administration officers inside the subsequent 10 minutes. In gentle of the Jewish holidays, we’re taking this (menace) a bit extra significantly. I’ll preserve you posted.”
LAPD officers responded to Metropolis Corridor to analyze the menace Williams reported. Police searched the constructing and didn’t find any suspicious packages or units. Williams described to police the threatening name he claimed to have acquired, confirmed them the document of an incoming name that appeared as a blocked quantity on his city-issued mobile phone and stated it was the unknown man who conveyed the menace, court docket papers present.
In reality, that incoming name document was the decision Williams had positioned to himself from the Google Voice software on his private mobile phone, federal prosecutors stated.
At no time did Williams intend to hold out the menace, his plea settlement states.
Williams retired from town greater than a month in the past and previous to that, when the FBI launched an investigation into the bomb menace, he was positioned on administrative depart.
“Like many, we have been shocked when these allegations have been first made and we’re saddened by this conclusion,” Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for Bass, stated Thursday.
Williams is predicted to make his preliminary look in federal court docket in downtown Los Angeles within the coming weeks. He has agreed to plead responsible on a date to be decided following his arraignment.
Williams joined Bass’ workplace in March 2023. He was tasked with working intently with important security departments reminiscent of police, fireplace, Los Angeles World Airports police, and emergency. Previous to his appointment, Williams served seven years as the chief director of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Fee.
Williams additionally beforehand served as deputy mayor beneath Mayor James Hahn, the place he was answerable for the administration and oversight of the Division of Transportation, Public Works and Data Know-how Company.
“Mr. Williams, the previous mayor of Public Security for Los Angeles, not solely betrayed the residents of Los Angeles, however responding officers, and the integrity of the workplace itself, by fabricating a bomb menace,” Akil Davis, the assistant director accountable for the FBI’s Los Angeles Subject Workplace, stated in a press release. “Authorities officers are held to a heightened normal as we depend on them to safeguard town. I’m relieved that Mr. Williams has taken accountability for his inexplicable actions.”
