Oct. 16, 2001 – Sen. Lorraine Berry has introduced legislation that would send any adult caught making bomb threats to prison for a mandatory five years.
Berry received a legal draft of the proposed legislation Tuesday and immediately began circulating it among other senators. She said that several senators have indicated they would co-sponsor the bill, and she will pass it among St. Croix senators later this week to try to build more support for it.
"Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, we’ve had an increase in bomb threats," she said, adding that the scares have been called in to Hovensa, several government offices, hotels, schools and other buildings. "It’s causing public alarm, and people should be held responsible."
Virgin Islands law does not currently make reference or provide penalties to anyone calling in bomb threats or planting fake bombs, she noted.
Federal law does cover such situations, and a St. Croix man was arrested by FBI agents last month and charged in District Court with calling in a bomb threat to Hovensa.
The proposed legislation would send anyone over the age of 18 to prison who is found guilty of either calling in a bomb threat or placing a fake bomb, for a mandatory five years. A $5,000 fine could be imposed as well.
Minors under 18 would be treated as juvenile offenders if they are found guilty of creating the bomb scares.
During Senate testimony last week, Attorney General Iver Stridiron said he would support such legislation. He said he suspected that most of those making the threats were juveniles.
Berry said Tuesday she expected the bill would go before the Government Operations Committee, but she did not know when that would happen.
