Ohio Woman Accused of Making Bomb Threats to Mississippi Offices
A woman from Ohio has been charged in federal court after authorities alleged she made a series of bomb threats targeting government offices in Mississippi while investigators were handling the death case of 18-year-old Nolan Wells.
According to court filings, Michelle Francine Edwards of Cincinnati is accused of making multiple threatening phone calls on July 23 to the George County Chancery Clerk’s Office and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecutors allege she used a blocked caller ID and repeatedly referenced bombs, prompting emergency responses at the affected locations.
Investigators Say Threats Led to Lockdowns and Bomb Searches
Federal investigators claim Edwards placed 29 threatening calls in total—21 to the George County Chancery Clerk’s Office and eight to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say several of the calls contained alarming warnings urging employees not to leave the buildings and suggested explosive devices were nearby. In response, law enforcement locked down the sheriff’s office and carried out a full bomb search. No explosives were discovered during the operation.
Officials traced the calls through emergency requests to telecommunications providers. Investigators linked the phone number to Edwards using subscriber records, digital account information, and law enforcement databases, leading to the federal charges.
Second Arrest Connected to Threats in Nolan Wells Case
Edwards is the second person charged in connection with threats made during the ongoing investigation into Nolan Wells’ death.
Earlier, another suspect, Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce, was charged after allegedly sending threatening messages to a Mississippi chancery judge involved in matters connected to the case. Federal investigators said they identified him through records linked to his online account.
Wells disappeared following a Fourth of July gathering on Horn Island, off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. His body was later recovered, and the investigation into his death remains active. During the investigation, Wells’ family has also reported receiving threats.
Potential Federal Penalties
Edwards has been charged with transmitting threatening communications across state lines, a federal offense. If convicted, she could face up to five years in federal prison, a fine of as much as $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. As with all criminal cases, the allegations remain unproven unless established in court.
