UTICA, N.Y. -- A week after threatening phone calls put Utica College on lockdown, the man believed to be responsible was back in Utica City Court. He waived his preliminary hearing, so the case will now head to the Oneida County Courthouse.
Fahrudin Omerovic, 23, is facing four counts of making a terroristic threat. He allegedly made four threatening phone calls through an app over the course of two days.
It put Utica College on lockdown for six hours, and more than 100 members of law enforcement responded.
Omerovic's defense attorney, John Raspante, said his client is devastated.
"I spoke to him about really what happened. How local, state, and federal law enforcement converged on the campus and how there were closed campuses throughout the area," Raspante said. "He understands that, the implications of it, and feels terribly about it, is devastated, and so is his family."
The defense asked the judge to lower Omerovic's bail. The judge denied that request and kept bail at $100,000. The number was recommended by District Attorney Scott McNamara, who wants to make sure Omerovic is in the area for trial.
"I have information that suggests that he has contacts who, he has friends or associates in different places throughout the United States -- in particular, in Pennsylvania," McNamara said. "I think he has a large grouping of people that he could possibly go to. In addition, his family is originally from Bosnia."
The DA believes if convicted, Omerovic could face between 2 and 14 years behind bars.