A 39-year-old man faces multiple charges for falsely reporting a bomb threat at Aims Community College in Greeley.
Just before 10 p.m. Tuesday, a man, later identified as 39-year-old David Gildea, called dispatch to report a bomb was going to detonate at the Aims campus, according to a Weld County Sheriff’s Office news release. The caller said he had to leave because he didn’t want to get blown up and ended the call before the dispatcher could get any further information.
Weld deputies responded to the scene with the agency’s Strike Team to evacuate all of the students and staff from the area. The team conducted interior searches of the buildings and exterior searches of the property, but no explosives were located on the campus, the release said.
The caller told dispatch he heard two non-white men talking about a “cluster” when reporting the bomb, according to the sheriff’s office. A deputy later contacted the caller via text message, and the caller responded that his name was “David” before ceasing communications.
The Strike Team determined Gildea’s location and contacted the property owner, who reported Gildea was staying in the basement, according to the release. The sheriff’s office arrested him on Thursday at the home after being allowed into the home by the property owner.
Gildea remains in custody at the Weld County Jail on suspicion of charges of false reporting of explosives, weapons or harmful substances, obstructing governmental operations, resisting arrest and obstructing a peace officer.
He has a criminal history dating back to 2005 with multiple fugitive of justice charges, according to online court records.
Gildea will appear in court at 2 p.m. Friday for a bond hearing.
“These types of incidents are extremely dangerous, and oftentimes difficult to solve,” Sheriff Steve Reams said. “This suspect should be dealt with by the full strength of the court system.”
