FBI PRESS RELEASE

HAMILTON MAN ARRESTED FOR E-MAIL THREATS

Keith L. Bennett, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division, Timothy D. Cox, SAC of the FBI Louisville Division, and Gregory G. Lockhart, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Ohio, announce the arrest of Frederick D. Purvis, age 42, Hamilton, Ohio on federal charges relating to e-mail threats to blow up the Denver International Airport. The arrest was made at an Erlanger, Kentucky hotel by members of the Cincinnati and Covington, Ky. Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs) on November 20, 2008 without incident. Mr. Purvis appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Hogan for an Initial Appearance on November 21. Judge Hogan ordered that Mr. Purvis be detained pending a Detention Hearing and Request for Psychiatric Exam scheduled for 1:30 pm on November 25.

Mr. Purvis has been charged in a federal complaint with violations of Title 18, U.S. Code Section 844(e) making a threat in interstate commerce to use an explosive device (punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment) and Section 1038, making a false terroristic threat (punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment).

The federal investigation which led to the complaint filed against Mr. Purvis commenced after email threats were received by WKRC Channel 12 and WLW radio as well as by FBI Headquarters in Washington on November 13, 2008. The threats, made under a false name, advised that four Cincinnati area Ohio River Bridges, Paul Brown Stadium, Argosy Casino and the Greater Cincinnati Airport would be “blown up” during the November 14-16 time period. Numerous law enforcement agencies expended significant resources to ensure there was no danger to the general public during the last weekend. The investigation eventually linked the November 13 threatening emails to emails threats received by Denver television stations on October 20, 2008 to destroy the Denver airport.

SACs Bennett and Cox thanked the following law enforcement agencies who assisted in the investigation which led to this complaint: The Cincinnati Police Department, West Chester Police Department, the U.S. Air Marshals, Hamilton Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Secret Service, Kentucky State Police, Cincinnati Airport Police, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.

  The public is reminded that criminal complaints are mere allegations of criminal conduct and that subjects are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.