Maverick County Courthouse Received Bomb Threat During Court Proceedings
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2023
The Maverick County Courthouse, located at 500 Quarry Street, Eagle Pass, Texas received a telephonic bomb threat on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at approximately 10:20 a.m. while 293rd Judicial District Court Judge Maribel Flores was holding a criminal docket in person proceedings, forcing Maverick County Sheriff Department Deputies working at the courthouse to immediately evacuate all the occupants and visitors from the building.
The telephone bomb threat was allegedly made to the Maverick County Clerk’s Office at approximately 10:20 a.m., which immediately notified authorities and implemented evacuation procedures to ensure the safety of all employees and visitors.
293rd Judicial District Judge Maribel Flores was busy going through a long criminal case docket that morning with court staff, attorneys, and defendants being in person during the proceedings when the bomb threat came in and was notified of the threat made. Maverick County Sheriff Deputies working as Court Bailiffs immediately implemented an evacuation of the building while securing the safety of District Judge Maribel Flores and staff, District Attorney Roberto Serna and staff, legal counsel, defendants, and visitors.
Also present at the Maverick County Courthouse during the time of the bomb threat were County Judge Ramsey English Cantu, Maverick County Clerk Sara Montemayor, and Maverick County District Clerk Leopoldo “Polo Vielma”, and numerous county employees, which were all evacuated at least one block away from the courthouse.
365th Judicial District Court Judge Amado J. Abascal, III, was concurrently holding a docket at the historic Maverick County Courthouse, located at 601 E. Main Street, in Eagle Pass, Texas at the time of the bomb threat made against the county courthouse at 500 Quarry Street. Maverick County Emergency Coordinator Leopoldo “Polo” Vielma stated that Judge Abascal and staff, all occupants and visitors at the historic County Courthouse were evacuated as a safety measure even though the bomb threat was made against the 500 Quarry Street County Courthouse.
The Eagle Pass Fire Department, Eagle Pass Police Department, and Maverick County Sheriffs Department responded to the bomb threat, implemented an evacuation of all persons inside both buildings, secured the perimeter of the area, and conducted a thorough search of both buildings to ensure if there was a bomb or not.
The Eagle Pass Fire Department cleared both buildings as being safe from any bomb at 10:54 a.m. and allowed the building occupants to return inside the buildings to continue with their daily activities.
Eagle Pass Fire Department Chief Manuel Mello and Assistant Fire Chief Rodolfo Cardona were both present during the inspection and search of both buildings conducted by their personnel and other law enforcement agencies.
293rd Judicial District Attorney Roberto Serna, who was present in Judge Flores’ courtroom presenting criminal cases before the court, issued a press release the same day, stating that “the Office of the District Attorney is committed to prosecuting these threats as they are extremely disruptive and do cause alarm to innocent members of our community. District Attorney Roberto Serna urges anyone with information as to the source of this bomb threat to contact law enforcement to report it in order to have this person(s) prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Fortunately, the bomb threat was false and no person was injured as a result of the threat.
Any person having any information as to the false bomb threat made on April 5, 2023 against the Maverick County Courthouse may contact the Eagle Pass Police Department at (830) 773-9044 or 911 or the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department at (830) 773-2321 or 911.
