31-year-old Domagoj Patkovic, an Oregon native, was recently arrested in his Portland home after reportedly making bomb threats and executing several swatting incidents. To further compound the issue, it’s apparent that the suspect was targeting hospitals and care centers around the New York area that are proud of their Jewish heritage and origins.
Reports suggest that the suspect’s actions caused chaos in multiple facilities, and the targeted attacks have been ongoing since at least May of 2021. At the time, Patkovic and several other co-conspirators reportedly came up with the idea to start targeting these healthcare facilities. At this point, investigators can only assume that the group’s behavior was motivated by a deep hatred of the Jewish people. The group started making several anonymous phone calls to hospitals and care centers.
The average call would begin when Patkovic claimed to have explosive devices planted throughout the hospital. This call would force staff to respond to the threat. Sometimes, the situation would escalate into a partial evacuation and lockdown. Unfortunately, countless individuals, employees, patients, and other individuals seeking out care were needlessly put into harms way.
They were frightened by false information, and many were not able to receive the care they needed during times of chaos and panic. Considering that hospitals provide lifesaving services, any type of extended disturbance could lead to severe injuries and even fatalities. That said, US Attorney Breon Peace confirmed that law enforcement and prosecutors will be using all possible resources to prosecute these dangerous bomb threats and swatting schemes to the fullest extent of the law.
Patkovic and his friends repeated this stunt at least six times. On one call, the group called local law enforcement.
Disturbingly, many of these “prank” calls were livestreamed on social media.
As a result of all the allegations, Patkovic is being charged with conspiring to make threats concerning explosives, transmitting threatening communications, and conveying false information about explosives. If convicted on all counts, he could face up to 155 years in prison.
False Bomb Threats: When Pranking Crosses the Line
Bomb threats are no laughing matter, and no one should ever feel comfortable enough to make this type of serious verbal threat to any individual, group, or business. As shown in the case above, a false bomb threat can wreak serious havoc, leading to evacuations, shutdowns, and even potentially panicked people, too. What’s more, these serious disruptions interfered with the hospital’s ability to provide healthcare services to citizens in need.
If you or someone you know has been accused of making false bomb threats or other threats of violence, then it’s imperative to secure the right legal defense team as soon as possible. The right legal defense team will help you completely understand the charges against you, the potential defense strategies you could use in court, and your best possible options moving forward.
Schedule a private and confidential meeting with our team of New York criminal defense attorneys now to talk about your charges in more detail with our team.
