Employee jailed for bomb threat

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ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) --  A base civilian employee was sentenced in federal court July 8 after pleading guilty to making a bomb threat on base.

Yolanda Aparicio was sentenced to two years imprisonment in a federal facility and ordered to pay $786,860 in restitution.

Besides imprisonment, the wage-grade employee in the C-5 Galaxy maintenance division was sentenced to three years supervised probation. The restitution amount covered the lost work revenue the base experienced when the flightline was shut down and evacuated during the bomb threat.

An indictment against Aparicio was handed down in July 2002 by the U.S. District Court for the Middle Georgia District in Macon. Aparicio pleaded guilty in February. Her sentencing was delayed pending an evaluation.

According to the indictment, Aparicio was charged with threatening to use a weapon of mass destruction and for passing on false information regarding the bomb threat. She was accused of making a written threat on May 14, 2002, indicating there was a bomb in a building here.

Appropriate punishment in such a case carries greater weight given recent national events, according to Maj. Gen. Donald Wetekam, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center commander.

"Bomb threats are serious matters, particularly in light of the attacks that have taken place against the United States," Wetekam said. "Our greatest concern is the safety of the work force.

"We must do everything within our power to provide a safe environment where employees can concentrate on the extremely important work they do in the war on terrorism. We do not take these kinds of incidents lightly," he said.

Base officials had placed Aparicio on indefinite suspension -- a non-duty, non-pay status -- Aug. 8 pending resolution of the criminal charges.

The incident was investigated by Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment 105, which passed the findings to the U.S. attorney's office, since the incident involved a civilian employee. (Courtesy of Air Force Materiel Command News Service)