Ex-LA deputy mayor of public safety sentenced for calling in fake bomb threat to get out of virtual meeting
Share and Follow

A former deputy mayor of public safety in Los Angeles has discovered his punishment after being sentenced for issuing a fake bomb threat to City Hall in an attempt to escape a virtual meeting.

Brian Williams, once a senior assistant to LA Mayor Karen Bass, received a sentence of one year of probation, 50 hours of community service, and a $5,000 fine from the US District Court on Monday.


Deputy Mayor Brian K. Williams delivering a speech.
Brian Williams, a former senior staffer of LA mayor Karen Bass, was sentenced to one year of probation, 50 hours of community service, and a $5,000 fine in the U.S. District Court on Monday. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Williams, 61, confessed to wrongly notifying police officers in October 2024 that an unidentified man had called him on his city-issued cellphone, claiming to have planted a bomb in City Hall, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The longtime law enforcement oversight official used a Google Voice app on his personal cellphone to call the bomb threat to his city-issued cellphone during a video call, prosecutors said in a previous statement.

He then left the virtual meeting and called the Chief of Staff of the Los Angeles Police Department, where he claimed he received a phone call from a man who threatened to bomb the Los Angeles City Hall.

Roughly 10 minutes later, Williams sent a text message to the Los Angeles Mayor and several high-ranking city officials in the Mayor’s office, writing, “Bomb threat: I received phone call on my city cell at 10:48 am this morning.”

“The male caller stated that ‘he was tired of the city support of Israel, and he has decided to place a bomb in City Hall. It might be in the rotunda.”


Mayor Karen Bass, Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Brian K. Williams, and LAPD Chief Michel Moore at a press conference.
The longtime law enforcement oversight official used a Google Voice app on his personal cellphone to call the bomb threat to his city-issued cellphone during the meeting, Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

“I immediately contacted the chief of staff of LAPD, they are going to send a number of officers over to do a search of the building and to determine if anyone else received a threat,” he texted.

However, Williams never received a call and “had made the bomb threat himself,” prosecutors said, noting he never actually intended to carry out the hoax.

After officers responded to the scene, they determined the threat was not credible. Investigators later learned an incoming call record from a blocked number was the call Williams had placed to himself.

He also texted Mayor Bass and other high-ranking officials, “At this time, there is no need for us to evacuate the building. I’m meeting with the threat management officers within the next 10 minutes. In light of the Jewish holidays, we are taking this thread, a little more seriously. I will keep you posted.”

Williams agreed in May to plead guilty to a single count of threats regarding fire and explosives. He faced a maximum sentence of a decade behind bars.

His lawyer Dmitry Gorin said the public official was suffering from “undiagnosed mental health challenges,” for which he said his client has undergone treatment, the LA Times reported.

He reported the sham threat, “after he became overwhelmed with stress and anxiety and desperate to get out of an ongoing meeting,” prosecutors wrote in a presentencing memo.

The former government official has no prior criminal convictions or arrests.

With Post wires.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
How 'strange, slow' Hurricane Melissa became such a monster

Unraveling the Enigma: How Hurricane Melissa Evolved from ‘Strange and Slow’ to a Formidable Force

The fierce winds of a Category 5 hurricane have already descended upon…
Border Patrol, ICE optics due to 'agitators' protesting: Paul Perez

How ‘Agitators’ are Shaping Border Patrol and ICE Strategies: Insights from Paul Perez

The heightened rhetoric from Border Patrol agents and ICE officers during recent…
'Predator: Badlands' director Dan Trachtenberg wanted to "force" classic movie monster "through a gauntlet"

Director Dan Trachtenberg Challenges Iconic Movie Monster in ‘Predator: Badlands

“Welcome to the most dangerous planet in the universe,” declares Dan Trachtenberg,…
Florida sets record with 15th execution as man dies for 1998 rape, murder of neighbor

Florida Executes 15th Inmate in 2023: Justice Served for 1998 Rape and Murder Case

On Tuesday, Florida executed Norman Mearle Grim Jr., marking the state’s 15th…
Bloody blue city crime wave shatters college homecoming in one of year’s most violent stretches: report

Stunning Surge in Crime: Blue City College Homecoming Marred by Unprecedented Violence

In a particularly violent weekend, the nation’s capital witnessed a surge in…
Nanny found with suspected psychedelic mushrooms accused of fatal stabbing, screwdriver attack on family

Nanny Allegedly Found with Suspected Psychedelic Mushrooms Charged in Fatal Stabbing and Screwdriver Assault on Family

A tragic incident unfolded in Michigan over the weekend, leading to the…
Private investigator challenges Houston officials on bayou serial killer theory after 16 deaths this year

Private Investigator Disputes Houston Officials’ Bayou Serial Killer Theory Amidst Surge of 16 Mysterious Deaths in 2023

A private investigator has raised concerns that a potential serial killer might…
Jaguars' Arik Armstead hosts dozens of local kids for a career camp

Jacksonville Jaguars’ Arik Armstead Empowers Local Youth with Career Development Camp

The Armstead Academic Project is known for organizing impactful events aimed at…