CLEVELAND (AP) — Prosecutors have added five more counts against an Ohio man suspected in more than 100 telephone bomb threats made to courthouses and other public buildings in five states.
The FBI arrested 39-year-old Lonny Bristow, of Mansfield, last week on one bomb threat count and said Wednesday that prosecutors added five more.
The additional counts were detailed in a court filing, which usually signals a pending plea deal. Bristow's public defender didn't immediately comment on the new counts.
Bristow was arrested in the investigation of bomb threats made in November and December to courthouses and public buildings in Nebraska, Washington, Oregon, Tennessee and Mississippi, the FBI said.
The FBI said it traced numerous bomb threats to prepaid phone cards purchased at a Wal-Mart store in Upper Sandusky, about 40 miles west of Mansfield.
Bristow made at least 10 threatening calls Nov. 2 to Nebraska, at least nine on Nov. 15 to Washington, at least 30 on Nov. 19 to Oregon, at least 32 on Nov. 27 to Tennessee, at least 30 on Dec. 12 to Mississippi and at least 17 on Dec. 17 to Mississippi, the filing said.
No explosives were found.
The Mansfield News Journal reported last week that since 1993, Bristow filed at least 137 lawsuits, targeting law enforcement personnel, judges, media outlets and others. In 1997, he was labeled a "vexatious litigator."
Bristow also was the first inmate in Ohio to have his mail privileges revoked, the newspaper reported. He received a 13-year prison sentence for theft, retaliation, aiding an escape, harassment by an inmate and telephone harassment.
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