An Alabama man pleaded not guilty after he allegedly made bomb threats to employees at the Bangor International Airport.
Robert Wicks, 24, of Decatur, Alabama, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to false information and hoaxes in U.S. District Court of Maine in Bangor. He is accused of texting a total of 107 messages to two employees of American Airlines at the Bangor International Airport on Feb. 13.
Wicks was arrested May 21 in Alabama. He was then sent to Texas for a mental competency evaluation, where he was found competent to stand trial Dec. 22, according to Alabama federal court records.
The case was then transferred to Bangor.
The messages said Wicks had “guns and shit” and plans to “definitely do a bomb (bomb emoji) threat” at the airport the next day at 10:50 a.m., according to a probable cause affidavit. The messages also said the phones had been infected with viruses and outlined how he could see people moving around the airport.
Wicks also allegedly called the airport and said there were timers on the bombs, the affidavit said. In a phone call with the FBI, Wicks said he made the calls “as a prank” for Discord.
On Feb. 14, police saw an American Airlines employee on a video chat in the Bangor airport. After an interview with her, they learned she was in a long-distance relationship with a man she met on TikTok, who she knew as Trey Live. Police figured out that the man was Wicks.
The woman had to work late the night before because of the bomb threat and complained to Wicks, the affidavit said. He had also stolen money from her bank account.
Flights were delayed Feb. 13 and 14 because of the threats, the affidavit said.
A bond of $5,000 set in Alabama was continued for the Maine case. Wicks must reside with a custodian in Decatur, Alabama, according to court records.
The felony charge carries a maximum of five years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.