Poplar Bluff computers seized after threats to Obama, police, schools

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Local and federal authorities seized four computers Wednesday as they investigate threats posted on the Internet against the president, local law enforcement officials and a school.

Four posts, entitled "Homicide1," "Homicide2," Homicide3" and "Homicide4," were placed on the Internet message board Topix by the screen name "Mel" between 9:10 and 9:20 p.m. Tuesday. The location of the posts was Poplar Bluff.

The first and second posts said: "I am going to kill (police chief) Danny Whiteley" and "I am going to kill (sheriff) Mark Dobbs."

The third post was a threat to kill President Barack Obama, who was less than 150 miles away in Arnold, Mo., Wednesday for a town-hall meeting for his 100th day in office.

The final one, posted 10 minutes after the first, said: "I am going to plant a bomb in the police station, courthouse and Sacred Heart School. All of these bombs will detonated at exactly the same time on Wednesday, April 29, 2009."

"We had multiple sources notify us of the threats to the chief, the sheriff and president and Topix (administration) notified us, specifically about the bomb threats to the three locations," explained Poplar Bluff Deputy Police Chief Jeff Rolland.

While authorities believe the posts were made at about midnight Central Standard Time, "we were not made aware of this threat to the courthouse and Sacred Heart School until early afternoon, which prompted the security responses at both locations," Rolland said.

Courthouse employees were evacuated and the building searched, while the school was put on lock down, Rolland said.

"We understand this (the lock down) causes a lot of stress on parents and children; however, we have to ere on the side of caution to protect our most cherished possessions," Whiteley said.

Security sweeps, he said, were done at the school, as well as at city hall. "No suspicious devices were found anywhere," he said.

After learning of the threats, Whiteley said, he notified the Butler County Sheriff's Department, Secret Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Federal authorities were contacted since Obama was in "very close proximity to the origin of the threats," Rolland said.

"We started coordinating resources to research the source of the threats," Whiteley said. "In a short time, we narrowed the search down to about a one-block area behind the Valley Plaza Shopping Center."

At this point in the investigation, Rolland said, officers have identified four computers of interest.

These computers, he said, were seized and turned over to Dexter Police Detective Trevor Pulley, a member of the SEMO Cyber Crimes Task Force, for forensic analysis.

"We are working closely with Topix, who has provided us detailed information regarding the origin of these posts," Rolland said. "This information has given us avenues of investigation, which not only the police department, but various federal agencies, such as Secret Service, ATF and FBI, are pursuing."

Whiteley said local and federal officers interviewed at least 15 people regarding the source of the posts on Wednesday.

"At this point, the investigation is proceeding with the forensic analyses and follow-up interviews on potential witnesses," Rolland said.

If people feel these types of situations are pranks, they need to understand "the time and money it costs the taxpayers of this community to react to these situations," Whiteley said. "Not only that, but the (cost to the) federal government (since) agents from St. Louis and Cape Girardeau responded down here out of the stupidity of some individual."

People, Whiteley said, also need to realize "we have had federal prosecution of numerous cases involving computers and cell phones. People thinking they are anonymous have a false sense of security."

Rolland agreed.

"Just like technology advances and gives people the avenues of wireless connections and Internet banking, our investigative abilities are advancing to identify people, who think they are anonymous, when they are not," Rolland said.

According to Rolland, when children are threatened in any manner, "we take it very seriously and have dedicated extensive resources to identifying and prosecuting the individual responsible.

"We have established a reward fund for information related to identifying, locating and prosecuting this coward."

Whiteley wanted to "personally challenge this little coward, that hides behind anonymity, threatens children and upsets parents and children, to come forward, so we can discuss it."