Los Angeles Man Charged with Allegedly Threatening to Bomb El Monte Bank

A Los Angeles man faces federal charges after allegedly threatening to bomb a bank, which led to an evacuation, authorities said. Daniel Isaac Gonzalez, 23, from Montebello, was arrested earlier this month based on claims he made threats against a Cathay Bank in El Monte, according to a report by KTLA.

In July last year, tensions peaked when a security guard received a text message loaded with expletives threatening to destroy the bank; the institution was swiftly evacuated, and a similar incident later that month involved another guard receiving a threatening message on his work phone, leading investigators to look into Gonzalez, documentation from the court revealed he allegedly sent the second threat to himself trying to look like a victim and shaking off suspicion. Despite Gonzalez's plea of not guilty to the charges which include making threats and conveying false information through interstate commerce, a trial date has been set for February 27 with a potential 10-year federal prison stint for each count.

Assistant Director Donald Alway of the FBI's L.A. office underscored the severity of such hoaxes saying, "each threat is taken seriously, and every attempt is made to identify and bring charges against the alleged perpetrator," with even false threats possibly leading to time behind bars as they could result in harm and waste public funds, this sentiment echoed in a tweet by the FBI's Los Angeles division.

The joint investigation between the FBI and the El Monte Police Department points to a rising tide of hoax threats that, according to authorities, require significant resources to investigate and resolve although they may end up being false alarms. Law enforcement is urging the public to recognize the gravity of such threats and the consequences they entail for individuals and the community.