What started as a YouTube stunt has a Joliet man sitting in DuPage County jail and a Westmont Porsche facility still catching its breath.
Prosecutors say 32-year-old Devan Sheard posted a video claiming he had planted explosives inside cars at a Napleton Porsche warehouse in Westmont. On Tuesday, a judge ordered him held in custody while the case moves forward, and authorities say bomb squads swept both the warehouse and Sheard’s Joliet home, finding no explosives and no bomb-making materials.
According to NBC Chicago, prosecutors allege Sheard recorded himself inside the warehouse on the 700 block of Burr Oak Drive, walking up to vehicles with their hoods open and asking on camera, “Should I hide the IED over here?” The DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office says the video shows him stating, “I’m planting the IED as we speak,” and later adding, “If I’m going to go out, I’m going to go out with a bang!”
Police Response And Search
Westmont police, the Westmont Fire Department, and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office locked down the area around Burr Oak Drive and Plaza Drive while specialized teams combed the warehouse, the village said in a news release. The Village of Westmont reported the search ended with authorities finding no ongoing threat.
Bomb squads also executed a search at Sheard’s Joliet residence and did not find any bomb-making materials, authorities told CBS Chicago.
Charges And Court Timeline
Prosecutors have charged Sheard with one count of “disorderly conduct false bomb threat,” a Class 3 felony, and asked that he remain behind bars while the case proceeds, according to the Daily Herald. A DuPage County judge granted that request, and Sheard is due back in court on Jan. 26.
Prosecutor’s Statement And Community Reaction
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said the alleged stunt “left employees at the facility, as well as the Westmont community anxious and in fear for their personal safety” and called the massive response an unnecessary drain on police and fire resources, according to NBC Chicago.
The video prompted a short-lived safety advisory to residents near the warehouse and rattled workers who suddenly found themselves at the center of a bomb scare instead of a typical workday.
What This Case Underscores
Local coverage notes the episode as a clear example of how a single online post can set off expensive, real-world emergency responses and still result in criminal charges when it threatens public safety, even if no explosive devices are ultimately found. Prosecutors and village officials say they intend to continue treating such threats as serious crimes as Sheard’s case moves through the court system, according to reporting from My Suburban Life.
