Man arrested after making bomb threats to Minford, Wheelersburg schools

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — A Scioto County man was arrested Friday after authorities said he posted bomb threats against two local school districts on Facebook, prompting a swift response from law enforcement and the FBI.

Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman said his office was alerted Sept. 5 by the FBI that Minford and Wheelersburg school districts could be targeted. Both districts soon confirmed they had received threats, and school resource officers were on site as deputies and federal agents began tracing the posts.

Investigators tracked the threats within about five minutes to a Franklin Furnace address, Thoroughman said. With assistance from family members, deputies attempted to intercept the suspect, Brian Austin Sampson, 26, of Wheelersburg. Sampson briefly fled into nearby woods before surrendering around 6 p.m.

Detectives said Sampson admitted the threats were false. He was charged with third-degree felony terroristic threats and second-degree felony inducing panic. He is being held at the Scioto County Jail on a $30,000 bond and is scheduled to appear Monday in Portsmouth Municipal Court.

The case remains under investigation and will be presented to a Scioto County grand jury, officials said.