Evanston and Wilmette have joined a long list of municipalities that have announced felony charges against a Skokie man they allege made multiple bomb threats against libraries, businesses and government offices, authorities said.
Jacob Spiro, 23, of the 4600 block of Davis Street, Skokie, is charged with four felony counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly making false bomb threats against the Evanston Public Library via email on Sept. 12 and 14 and also for also making 911 bomb threats against a McDonald’s restaurant in the 1900 block of Dempster Street in Evanston on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4, police said in a news release.
“When you have bomb threats to the library or public places … even when there is a perception that they’re false, they are cause for alarm,” Evanston Police Commander Ryan Glew said. “They create a lot of anxiety to members of the community. We have to treat it as the real deal. The initial response requires assistance from other agencies.”
On Nov. 17, Spiro surrendered himself to Evanston Police and was taken into custody. Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the investigation and approved the felony charges.
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Spiro is also charged with making similar threats against libraries in Morton Grove, Niles, Northbrook, Skokie and Wilmette around the same time period, police said.
On Oct. 9, Niles and Morton Grove police and the FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force took Spiro into custody as a result of their investigation, police said. They said the Cook County State’s Attorney approved two felony charges of disorderly conduct for the Morton Grove incidents and a total of 11 threats were made against the Village of Morton Grove, the Morton Grove Public Library and businesses in that community.
Skokie police got 16 bomb and violence threats in September and October, according to that department and Glenview received four threats between March and October, including one against a business, said police. There were also threats against buildings in Park Ridge, Gurnee, Oak Park, Warren-Newton and Lincolnwood, said police
In many of the incidents, buildings were evacuated multiple times although police said no bombs were ever found. They did not give a motive for the threats. Spiro is free on bond and was scheduled for a Nov. 27 hearing on the Evanston charges at the Skokie Courthouse.
Police said detectives and the FBI linked Spiro to many of the incidents and identified him through digital forensics.
“A case like this is very ‘tech heavy,'” Glew explained. “That requires special training for detectives. It is a commitment of time and investigative resources to see this case through. We have to move quickly but thoughtfully.”
“These incidents of bomb threats, false 911 calls, are extremely alarming and concerning to the community especially if you’re talking about a library that has community members, children and people from all walks of life,” he added.
Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.