Judicial Center in Paintsville closed due to bomb threat

By Roberta Cantrell

BSN Editor

All court cases had to be rescheduled at the Johnson County Judicial Center and all parties notified Friday, April 11, due to a bomb threat, according to Johnson County District Judge Brett Butcher.

Johnson County Sheriff Scott Hazlette said the threat was called in around 8:05 a.m., when a male caller advised a “bomb would go off there today.”

“A call came in to the circuit clerk’s office at the Johnson County Judicial Center and was answered by one of the deputy clerks, who stated it was a male voice and made a statement to the effect that they had very good reason to believe that a bomb was going to go off (there) at either 8 a.m. or 8:30 a.m., and then hung up the phone,” said Sheriff Hazlette.

No bomb had been found as of 2 p.m. the same day, and according to Sheriff Hazlette, he believes the caller is a potential suspect.

“I contacted (Kentucky State Police Post 9), and a state police trooper came by and I notified 911 dispatch and (Paintsville Police Department officers) responded, I responded and, of course, I had court security personnel in the building and they evacuated the building, as is protocol,” Hazlette said. “We went in and did a thorough search of the building, looking for any kind of potential device or anything that looked out of place and didn’t find anything, but they made the determination to go ahead and close the building for the day.”

Police are asking anyone with any information about the threat to contact the JCSO by phone at 606-789-3411, KSP Post 9 by phone at 606-433-7711, or Paintsville/Johnson County Emergency Dispatch at, 606- 789-4221.