Man who made threats to sheriff’s office is sentenced

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A Michigan man who was charged with inducing panic after he made threatening phone calls to the sheriff’s office has been sentenced.

Ziaire Webb, 28, Detroit, appeared Feb. 16 in the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Joel Kuhlman.

He was indicted in October for making terroristic threats, a third-degree felony; telecommunications harassment, a first-degree misdemeanor; and two counts inducing panic, both fourth-degree felonies.

On July 29, Webb used his cell phone to call the Wood County Sheriff’s Office and while speaking with a deputy, said he had placed bombs around the building, that officers had messed with the wrong person, and he was going to detonate the bombs.

Later that same day, he called again using his cell phone and said there were bombs around the building and they were going to detonate.

The sheriff’s office brought in a K-9 unit trained in detecting bombs and had the entire property searched.

On Aug. 14, Webb again used his cell phone to call the sheriff’s office and falsely report a Perrysburg hotel was on fire.

During that call, Webb told a deputy that he had arranged for that deputy’s family to be killed and had planted bombs around the sheriff’s office and planned to detonate them.

Webb pleaded guilty in December to both inducing panic charges and the amended charge of attempted making terrorist threats, a fourth-degree felony.

The harassment charge was dismissed.

Defense attorney Sara Roller said her client had no prior felonies and, since being released from custody, he has engaged in mental health treatment in Detroit.

Roller said Webb had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and he had been drinking on the dates of the offenses, which added to the issues with his mental health.

“He is apologetic. I believe he has learned a valuable lesson,” she said.

She asked for a sentence of community control.

Wood County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Dexter Phillips recommended community control with the conditions that Webb have no contact with the sheriff’s office and the judge reserve the maximum 54 months in prison.

Philliips said this recommendation came after much discussion with the sheriff. He added he hoped the threat of prison time will keep Webb from contacting the sheriff’s office in the future.

Kuhlman said Webb’s presentence investigation showed he had done this to other entities.

He said he typically follows the recommendation as given, but would not in this case, due to the circumstances.

“You’ve done exactly the same thing in the past,” Kuhlman said.

He imposed a sentence of 45 days in jail, with credit for 14 days served.

The calls were scary and time consuming for those on a job that is already stressful, Kuhlman said.

“You did not make their job any easier,” he said.

The judge also imposed a sentence of two years on community control.

Roller asked for a delay on taking Webb to jail to allow him to arrange care for his pets.

Kuhlman ordered him to appear at the jail today.

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