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Security guard arrested in bomb threats to NBA www.privateofficer.com
Jose L. Quesada Jr., of Elizabeth, N.J., allegedly left multiple voice mails at an NBA Properties Inc. office in Secaucus, N.J., the U.S. Attorney’s office in Newark said in a statement Friday.
Mr. Quesada, 19 years old, worked as a guard for a private firm that the NBA contracted with to provide security, prosecutors said.
“A bomb threat is not a prank, it is a federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman in a statement. “There is nothing amusing about scaring people and wasting the valuable time and resources of those responsible for keeping us safe,” Mr. Fishman said.
Mr. Quesada has been charged with willfully making a false bomb threat. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
Donald J. McCauley, Mr. Quesada’s lawyer, declined to comment Friday.
Mr. Quesada allegedly left a threatening voice mail on Monday morning, five more voice mails in a 16-minute period on Tuesday night and a seventh voice mail on Wednesday afternoon, according to a criminal complaint.
In one voice mail Tuesday night, Mr. Quesada allegedly said, “Leave the building. It’s gonna blow up. Leave the building. No where to go. It’s gonna go up. It’s gonna go ‘Boom!’ “
The NBA Properties offices were evacuated and searched as a result of Monday’s threat, according to the complaint. Other security measures, including adding four armed guards, also were taken as a result of the threat, prosecutors said.
Mr. Quesada allegedly admitted to making the threats and to not having any bomb-making materials when interviewed by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents on Thursday, according to the complaint.
The NBA didn’t immediately respond to a request to comment Friday.
