Ohio mayor sentenced for courthouse bomb threat

BELMONT COUNTY, OH (WTRF) – The mayor of Holloway, Ohio, who prosecutors say threatened to blow up the Belmont County Courthouse back in February, learned his sentence Tuesday.

The prosecution told Nexstar’s WTRF 7News that Holloway Mayor Joseph Schaeffer called the Belmont County Auditor’s Office in February, claiming they owed his mother money from years ago. They said the situation escalated to the alleged threat to blow up the courthouse.

Schaeffer was originally charged with inducing panic and aggravated menacing. On June 25, he was found guilty of aggravated menacing.

On Tuesday, court officials told 7News that Schaeffer was sentenced to 180 days in jail but will only have to serve 10 days in the Belmont County Jail. The remaining 170 days were suspended. Officials said Schaeffer was also given two years of probation, which began Tuesday. They said if he violates the terms of his probation, a judge can decide to send him back to jail for some or all of the suspended time.

Schaeffer is required to turn himself in within 45 days, according to court officials. They said his attorney must file the exact date Schaeffer will begin his jail time within the next seven days.