The University graduate student who allegedly called in a bomb threat to the Knight Library in February — forcing an hour-long closure of the building, cancellation of classes and evacuation of hundreds — plead guilty to a disorderly conduct charge in Lane County Circuit Court Wednesday.
James Gregory Evangelista’s lawyer and prosecutors reached a plea agreement that dropped harassment and menacing charges against Evangelista, but called on the court to sentence the former student to 20 days in jail and 36 months on probation and forbid contact with the library without University permission.
The settlement also recommends the court forbid Evangelista from having contact with University receptionist Jeanette Lochbaum, who received the bomb threat call.
At his court appearance, Judge Lauren Holland said Evangelista could face a maximum fine of $2,500 and six months in jail for the disorderly conduct charge. However, Lane County District Attorney Alex Gardner said judges usually take the recommendation of the plea bargain.
Evangelista’s mandatory sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 6 at 9 a.m. at the Circuit Court.
Gardner said his office took into account the defendant’s criminal history, current risk to the community and whether remedial
action has been taken before entering into a plea bargain and agreeing to drop the charges of menacing and harassment.
“We try not to hit everybody with a hundred-pound mallet,” Gardner said. “We try to use a measured
response.”
Evangelista and his lawyer, William Kent, would not comment.
Evangelista, who was studying special education, is not enrolled for fall term. He last attended the University at the end of winter term 2004, according to the registrar’s office.
Evangelista, 47, was arrested by Eugene police on the night of February 25, hours after a man called in a bomb threat to the library claiming he placed a bomb in the building to protest President Bush’s administration. According to the Eugene Police Department, the phone call was traced to the pay phone inside the University Bookstore. Police pulled surveillance video footage from the store showing Evangelista on the phone at the time of the call.
Two days after the incident, EPD spokeswoman Kerry Delf said the EPD’s investigation revealed that Evangelista called in the bomb threat in order to cancel classes because he didn’t have his homework done on time.
However, in an e-mail to the Emerald that same day, Evangelista wrote that the bomb threat was “certainly not a homework issue.”
“My actions this week are so embarrasing (sic) to me. I can’t begin to adequately express my regret, remorse and apologies that they occured (sic),” the e-mail stated. “In hindsight, I could never have planned or imagined commiting (sic) such a reckless act, particularly in this day of threats or fear mongering and terror … I can only offer that during the last few months the build up (sic) of my own perspective on my personal and academic life was seriously compromised by my prolonged abuse of ephedra, an over the counter (sic) stimulant.”
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