Former Los Angeles deputy mayor Brian K. Williams pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges related to the threat of a fake bomb that he went to city hall last year.
According to the US lawyers’ office, Williams has resorted to a single federal threat count in downtown Los Angeles, in downtown Los Angeles.
The verdict was scheduled for October 6th.
According to Williams’ legal agreement on October 3, 2024, while serving as Mayor Karen Bass’ deputy mayor of public safety, he called the chief of staff at the Los Angeles Police Department and falsely claimed that he had just received a bomb threat from an unknown man who was threatened with a bomb from the city hall to the city hall.
About ten minutes later, Williams texted Base and some high-ranking city authorities, saying, “Bomb Threat: I got a call on the city phone at 10:48am this morning. The male caller said, “He’s tired of Israeli city support and decided to put the bomb at city hall. I immediately contacted the LAPD Chief of Staff, they send many officers to
Do a search of the building and determine if anyone else has been threatened or not.”
“At this point, there is no need to evacuate the building. We don’t need to meet with threat managers within the next 10 minutes. We take this a little more seriously in light of the Jewish holidays,” Williams said.
LAPD officials responded to City Hall to investigate the threat reported by Williams. Police searched the building and found no suspicious packages or devices. Williams explained to police the threatening call he claimed he received, showing them a record of incoming calls displayed as blocked numbers on his city-issued mobile phone, saying it was an unknown man who conveyed the threat, a court paper shows.
In fact, the incoming call record was a call Williams placed himself from the Google Voice app on his personal phone, federal prosecutors said.
Williams had no intention of carrying out the threat that his judicial agreement filed in the state of Los Angeles federal court. His motivation behind the threat of a fake bomb has not been publicly stated.
Williams quietly retired from the city government in April, and before that, he was placed on administrative leave when the FBI began investigating the threat of a bomb.
“Like many, we were shocked when these allegations were first made. We are saddened by this conclusion,” Bass spokesman Zach Seidl said last month.
Williams joined Bass’ office in March 2023. He was tasked with working closely with key safety departments such as police, fire department, Los Angeles World Airport Police and emergency situations. Prior to his appointment, Williams served as executive director of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Private Monitoring Board for seven years.
Williams previously served as deputy mayor under Mayor James Hearn, where he was responsible for managing and overseeing the Department of Transport, Public Works and Information Technology Agency.
“Williams, the Vice Mayor of Public Security in Los Angeles, not only betrayed Los Angeles residents, but also betrayed the integrity of the office itself by creating a bomb threat,” said Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
“Government officials are bound by elevated standards as we rely on them to protect the city. I’m relieved that Williams is responsible for his inexplicable actions.”
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