St. Thomas Man Sentenced to 22 Months for Texting Threats to Local Business

Topics:  Boynes Trucking Systems

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of the Virgin Islands
June 21, 2012

ST. THOMAS—District Court Chief Judge Curtis V. Gomez today sentenced Rudy Cook, 43, to 22 months in prison for sending threatening texts to Boynes Trucking Systems Inc., announced United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe; Joseph S. Campbell, Federal Bureau of Investigations Special Agent in Charge; and Virgin Islands Police Commissioner Henry White. Judge Gomez also sentenced Cook to three years’ supervised release and a special assessment of $200.

On March 16, 2012, Cook pleaded guilty to two counts of a 10-count indictment charging him with threats involving explosives. According to the plea documents filed in court, on January 16 and 17, 2012, Cook sent threatening text messages to the owner/manager of Boynes Trucking Systems Inc., indicating that there were explosives on the premises. The texts stated that if the business did not close, the bomb would be detonated, killing the employees and destroying the business. A text sent by Cook on January 17, 2012 specifically threatened the owner’s daughter with bodily harm. Cook was arrested on January 27, 2012.

U.S. Attorney Sharpe praised the efforts of the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ishmael A. Meyers, Jr.