FBI warns against hoax threats

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WGEM) - The FBI office in Springfield, Ill. is reminding people it's not only illegal, but dangerous to knowingly make a false threat against a school or other public place.

The reminder comes as the FBI said there's been an uptick in hoax threats in the past six months.

FBI Springfield Assistant Special Agent in Charge Shannon Fontenot said making a false threat is a federal crime. Adults can spend up to five years in prison. The U.S. Attorney's Office typically work's with the local state's attorneys to determine how to proceed if a juvenile makes a threat.

He said regardless of the potential penalty, false threats force agents to pause other important work they are doing and eat up resources that go towards fighting real threats.

"You're pulling law enforcement resources away from their normal jobs, which are investigating child abductions, violent crime against children, drug transportation across the United States, counterterrorism events and threats like that that are legitimate, and so people could get harmed in other ways by not addressing those threats," Fontenot said.

The push also comes after schools in Springfield, Ohio have faced threats in recent weeks.

Fontenot said people should also alert law enforcement about threats they think could be real as it could prevent the next mass shooting or another deadly event.