BEMIDJI -- The Bemidji man suspected of calling in a fake bomb threat earlier this year has pleaded innocent.
Randy John Stebe, 33, of Bemidji, pleaded innocent Monday and requested a jury trial for a felony charge of making terroristic threats involving an explosive or incendiary device.
Stebe is suspected of calling North Country Regional Hospital at 11:21 a.m. May 2 and saying that staff had "better be prepared," according to the criminal complaint.
The anonymous male caller told NCRH that there were three bombs in Bemidji - at Perkins, Country Kitchen and Green Mill - that were all set to detonate at 3 p.m. that day, the complaint states.
Police learned that Stebe, a Perkins employee, had a meeting scheduled at 5 p.m. that day at Perkins because he was suspected of stealing money from the restaurant, the complaint states. He also was suspected of tampering with video surveillance equipment.
ADVERTISEMENT
An investigation revealed the phone number from which the phone call was made to NCRH, the complaint states.
The number belonged to a woman who confirmed that she was with Stebe throughout that morning and afternoon and he was the only person who had used her phone that day to her knowledge, the complaint states.
The Bemidji Pioneer and the Herald are Forum Communications Co. newspapers.
