The man accused of phoning in a bomb threat to the Statue of Liberty was charged in federal court Wednesday.
Jason Paul Smith, 42, of Harts, West Virginia, has been accused of using an iPad registered in his name and a phone service for the hearing impaired to call in a bomb threat, which caused more than 3,200 people to evacuate Liberty Island in New York Harbor, according to CNN.
It is believed that Smith is in fact deaf, according to his Facebook page which states that he attended a school for the deaf and blind.
It is suspected that Smith made the call on April 21 claiming to be the wanted fugitive Abdul Yasin, a suspect in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara says Smith is being charged with one count of conveying false and misleading information and hoaxes, which has a maximum five-year sentence, according to Reuters.
However, authorities say Smith's iPad is also linked to other 911 calls, like two in May from a someone who identified themselves as an "Isis allah Bomb maker" and threatened to attack both Times Square and the Brooklyn Bridge, and threatened civilians and police officers, according to NBC News.
Smith is scheduled for another court appearance Friday afternoon.
