Suspect in Gun Threat Case Pleaded No Contest to Similar Charges in May

The Monrovia man arrested Tuesday on suspicion of making several hoax gun threats by phone last week, including the one that prompted the lockdown at Santa Fe Middle School, has faced similar charges before.

In May, Cortez pleaded no contest to making a false bomb report to an agency or business.

He had previously pleaded not guilty to those charges, which involved making bomb threats against Washington Middle School, a post office and the Pasadena Department of Public Health in October.

Last week, Cortez allegedly called gun threats in to various agencies, prompted school lockdowns in Monrovia, Duarte, and Arcadia. He also made the same kind of threats to shoot people with an AK-47 to medical facilities in West Covina.

Cortez is being held on $250,000 bail. He will appear in court Thursday.

"All policing agencies involved in this investigation took this very seriously. The nature of these criminal threats brought tremendous fear to students, faculty, parents, patients, and the community," authorities said. "It also drew a significant amount of policing resources away from other legitimate purposes.  Incidents such as these will continue to be handled in a serious manner."