A man from Detroit has been arrested on charges of making terroristic threats against various businesses in Madison County, Illinois. WXYZ reports Jarrett Maki, 25, is facing 11 counts of making a terrorist threat, a situation that has prompted his suspension from his role at the Detroit City Football Club. Allegedly collaborating with Austin Blair, 25, from East Alton, Illinois, the pair's threatening calls spanned from July to August, targeting several food establishments and a lounge.
According to CBS Detroit, the incidents led to closures of several businesses; among the establishments were a Taco Bell, a McDonald's, and a Sonic in East Alton, with one call to a Casey's in Wood River claiming "there's going to be an active shooter at your store in five to ten minutes," the extent of the disruptions caused by these threats reflect their serious and shocking nature. Maki was apprehended at the World-Wide Technology Raceway and remains in custody at the Madison County Jail, a pretrial hearing is scheduled for October 3rd.
Investigations began in July when businesses began to receive the menacing phone calls prompting officials from East Alton, Bethalto, and Wood River police departments to collaborate in response to the deliberate spread of panic and fear, as reported by WILX. In Illinois, the charge of making a terrorist threat is considered a Class X felony, carrying a potential for a prison term ranging from six to 30 years, showcasing the gravity of such offenses.
The other accused, Blair, was taken into custody at his home in East Alton with evidence being seized during a search warrant execution; he has since been released on pretrial conditions as Illinois does not have a cash bond system "a preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 3," as per WILX. Maki's employment with Detroit City FC has been put on hold, with club officials affirming the matter's severity, "DCFC takes this situation very seriously," a team spokesperson conveyed to WXYZ.
