Los Angeles, California – Marcus Jamal Sanchez, 45, from Blackwell, Oklahoma, admitted in court this Tuesday to making bomb threats over the phone to five schools in Los Angeles, including threats to shoot children at one of the elementary schools as they left.
Read also: LA County is looking to hire about 500 lifeguards for the summer, wages start at $23.87 per hour
The man, who grew up in Los Angeles and is also known by “Marcus James Buchanan,” confessed to a serious charge. He admitted to using communication across state lines to threaten to destroy school buildings with fire and bombs.
Since his arrest in June 2022, Sanchez has been out on bail since July of the same year.
The U.S. Attorney, Martin Estrada, pointed out how Sanchez’s dangerous actions threatened the safety of kids, teachers, and school staff, underlining the critical importance of keeping schools safe.
Amir Ehsaei, a top official at the FBI in Los Angeles, stated that the act of threatening the lives of innocent school children is something most people can’t even think of doing and that the FBI, along with the American public, will not stand for it.
Read also: A new bill in California aims to ban homeless encampments near “sensitive community areas” statewide
Sanchez’s admission of guilt reveals that on the morning of February 28, 2022, he made bomb threats to two elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school in Los Angeles in under two hours. He even threatened to shoot kids at one of the elementary schools as they left.
On April 27 and 28, 2022, he made more threats to the same Los Angeles schools, including threats to shoot and kill kids at other schools. On one occasion, he told a school worker there was a bomb at their school and threatened to shoot the kids as they left, blaming the school for rejecting him back in 1986.
On another day, he warned one of the schools about a pipe bomb at their location, leading to a police search and school lockdown, but no bomb was found. Similarly, he made a threat to another elementary school, leading to another lockdown, but again, no danger was found.
These threats caused major alarm, leading to lockdowns and police searches, but thankfully, no bombs or dangerous items were discovered.
Read also: Innovative design takes shape: SHoP Architects unveil plans for Baldwin Hills
A sentencing hearing for Sanchez is set for June 7, where he could receive up to 10 years in prison.
The FBI and the Los Angeles School Police Department are handling the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jena A. MacCabe leading the prosecution.
