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Bomb threat suspect will be prosecuted in Putnam County
A Hendricks County man accused of calling a pair of bomb threats to Florida State University learned Monday he will be charged in Indiana, not Florida.
Brandon Wingler, 28, Amo, was arrested Sunday and housed in the Putnam County Jail with a $1 million bond.
On Monday, the Putnam County Prosecutor's Office filed four Level 6 felonies against Wingler, two counts of false informing and two counts of intimidation.
Level 6 felonies are punishable by between six and 30 months in prison.
Putnam Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges entered a preliminary not guilty plea on Wingler's behalf.
The suspect told Bridges he had not hired an attorney, but plans to do so.
Wingler inquired with the judge about his bond, with Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter saying he wanted to see the bond amount stay at $1 million.
"It's for the safety of the community," Bookwalter told Bridges. "I'd say it's a threat of terrorism."
Bridges did not alter the bond amount. He also set Wingler's pre-trial conference for Feb. 24.
One big question answered at Monday's hearing was that Wingler will not be extradited to Florida for prosecution.
Upon contacting the Greencastle Police Department about the threats, FSU Police representatives said they would be interested in bringing the suspect to Florida for prosecution.
In subsequent conversations with Florida authorities, Bookwalter and the district attorney in Tallahassee, Fla., agreed that they both prefer that Wingler be prosecuted in Putnam County. Indiana apparently has stiffer penalties for such crimes.
Additionally, most witnesses in the case are from this area, meaning they would have to be transported to Florida to testify.
The prosecutor further advised that Florida authorities are willing to send anyone to Indiana whose testimony would be relevant to the case.
Bookwalter told the Banner Graphic that the FSU response to the threats included the evacuation of buildings and canvassing of the area for a possible suspect, even after police decided the threat was not credible.
Authorities are still not sure what connection, if any, Wingler might have to Florida State or why he made the alleged threats.
Court documents filed Monday gave some more insight into the Greencastle Police Department investigation that led to Wingler's arrest.
After being contacted by FSU, Sgt. Ed Wilson, Assistant Chief Brian Hopkins, Det. Sgt. Michael Collins and Officer Darrel Bunten (who also serves as Fillmore town marshal), worked together in questioning clerks and other witnesses about the phone calls made from the gas stations.
In both cases, a man matching Wingler's description came in and asked to use the phone at the time the threats were called to Florida State.
In the call from the Greencastle Marathon, the subject identified himself as "The Sketch Artist" and said there was a bomb in a room 218 on the FSU campus.
In the call from Country Mart in Fillmore, the suspect called himself "Sketch 182" and made a similar threat.
Police obtained images from security footage from both stations and placed the photos on the GPD Facebook page.
They received several tips, one of which led them to Wingler.
On Saturday, Wingler was interviewed by Det. Collins and admitted to calling in the threats. He was booked into the Putnam County Jail at 8:20 p.m.
Bookwalter praised GPD for its swiftness in making the arrest in this case, saying the department is the best in the area in its use of electronic resources.
"GPD turned this around in about 48 hours," Bookwalter said. "We're lucky to have them. They were low key and did a great job."
Given the number of threats of violence in central Indiana in the last week, Bookwalter also had a message for any would-be copycats.
"If anyone else gets the bright idea to do this in the community, justice will be swift and severe," Bookwalter said.