Former LA Deputy Mayor Pleads Guilty to Fake City Hall Bomb Threat

Brian K. Williams, former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor of Public Safety, pleaded guilty to making a false bomb threat against City Hall, an act that brought a police response and heightened concern due to the timing around Jewish holidays. On October 3, 2024, Williams falsely claimed he received a call threatening to bomb City Hall because of the city's support for Israel, but investigators found he had made the call himself using Google Voice during an online meeting. Williams sent multiple texts to Mayor Karen Bass and senior officials describing the threat and directing responses, though no actual danger was found after police searched the building. The plea deal acknowledges that Williams did not intend to carry out the threat, but his actions violated the trust placed in him as a public safety official. The U.S. Attorney emphasized that public officials must be held to a higher standard, especially in an era of increased political tensions and violence. Williams faces up to 10 years in federal prison under the felony charge of making an explosives threat.