Former Western Illinois University Student Sentenced for Making Hoax Bomb Threats

PEORIA, IL—U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid today sentenced Cameron McKoy, a former Western Illinois University (WIU) student, to 12 months and one day in prison for making hoax bomb threats to WIU freshmen residence halls last fall. McKoy, 19, of Chicago, has been in federal law enforcement custody since Nov. 16, 2010.

A grand jury returned its indictment of McKoy in December 2010 and McKoy pled guilty on Apr. 25, 2011. McKoy admitted that he used the telephone to make hoax bomb threats beginning on Oct. 25, 2010. McKoy used a telephone to make the first threat, on Oct. 25, 2010, to Tanner Hall, a freshman dormitory on WIU’s Macomb campus. McKoy used an automated calling service known as RoboTalker.com to make eight additional hoax bomb threats, from Nov. 4 through Nov. 11, 2010.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Western Illinois University Office of Public Safety. Agencies assisting in the response and investigation include the Illinois Secretary of State Bomb Squad, the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, and the Adams County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greggory R. Walters in cooperation with the McDonough County State’s Attorney’s Office.