Scranton police arrest DPW employee
SCRANTON - City police have arrested a city Department of Public Works employee, whom detectives say made a bomb threat last week.
Mark Jakes, 47, is facing recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct charges after he called in a threat to DPW dispatch on March 8, according to police.
Mr. Jakes, who minutes early discussed a threat that had been made at West Scranton High School with coworkers, called dispatch at 1:06 p.m. and said a bomb located in the building was set to go off at 1:15 p.m.
DPW Director Mark Dougher was notified, and within two minutes, Mr. Jakes identified himself to Mr. Dougher and other coworkers as the one who made the threat. Mr. Jakes said he made the call as a "joke," according to police.
Efforts to determine Mr. Jakes' employment status were not immediately successful Friday morning.