Former Los Angeles deputy mayor reports fake bomb threatening strike plea deal
Federal prosecutors announced Thursday that staff of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors, admitting he called for fake bomb threats to City Hall in the second half of last year, blamed anti-Israeli sentiment.
Long-term law enforcement official Brian Williams, who serves as deputy mayor of Bays Public Safety, agreed to convict a count of threats about fire and explosives that would result in a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison under the terms of the plea agreement. He is expected to appear in court for the first time in the next few weeks.
“In an age of intense political rhetoric, sometimes escalating into violence, we cannot allow public officials to create a bomb threat,” we Atty. Bill Essayli said in a press release announcing the agreement. “My office will continue to work to ensure the safety of the public, including those who violate their responsibilities to uphold the law.”
So far, there is no motivation.
Williams reportedly called the bomb last October with LAPD Deputy Commissioner Scott Harrelson, the chief of staff of the department’s leader Dominic Choi, according to two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation. Sources agreed to discuss the case on the condition that their name is not used.
According to the plea agreement, about 10 minutes after putting the fake bomb threat, Williams sent a text message to Beth and several other senior mayoral officials saying “Bomb Threat: I received a call in my city cell at 10:48 this morning. The male caller said: “He was tired of Israel's city support and he decided to place the bomb at the city hall.” I immediately contacted the Chief of Staff of LAPD and they would send many officials to search the building and determine if others were threatened. ”
Williams followed up with several other articles after a while, saying there was no need to evacuate from the town hall.
According to federal authorities, “I will meet with the threat managers in the next 10 minutes. Given the Jewish holiday, we are taking this thread seriously, more seriously. I will notify you in time.”
The mayor's office did not immediately comment on the request.
News of the bizarre case came out of public view last December after FBI agents raided Williams’ home in Pasadena. It launched a shock wave through the city hall and police stations, with many skeptical of the threat of respected government officials forged bombs.
Sources previously told the Times that detectives from LAPD's main crime department conducted surveillance before handing over the case to the FBI, leading them to conclude that Williams was responsible for the bomb threat.
Williams held various government positions spanning thirty years. He worked as deputy mayor in the Beth office for nearly two years, studying issues such as police recruitment, public safety spending and finding a new police chief.
Williams is Mayor James K. Hahn.
According to his LinkedIn page, from 2016 to 2023, Williams is the executive director of the Sheriff’s Civilian Oversight Committee.
Williams works in the Bays office, and Williams is in charge of the police department, the fire department, the port police, the airport police and the city's emergency authorities. He is also a member of the mayor's inner circle and played a key role in the months-long search for the new police chief ended by Jim McDonnell.
When the area. Atti. Nathan Hochman was sworn in last year, and Williams, a city official, was elected to speak to the audience on behalf of the mayor.
Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles field office, said in a statement that Williams not only betrayed Los Angeles residents, but also responded to officials, as well as the integrity of the office itself, by creating bomb threats. ”
“The standards of government officials have been raised as we rely on them to protect the city,” the statement said. “I feel relieved that Mr. Williams is responsible for his inexplicable actions.”
