Fair Lawn, NJ — Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Clyde Johnson, 26, of Fair Lawn, NJ, on charges of false public alarm. The arrest followed an investigation led by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck.
In March, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit and Intelligence and Counterterrorism Unit began investigating a series of anonymous hoax phone calls and emails directed at crisis centers, local businesses, and law enforcement agencies. These false reports involved claims of individuals armed with deadly weapons or explosives.
The investigation found that in January, March, and April, Clyde Johnson made these false reports affecting various locations and law enforcement agencies in Bergen County, including Franklin Lakes, Paramus, Wyckoff, Maywood, Fair Lawn, Fort Lee, and Bergenfield.
Johnson faces four counts of second-degree false public alarm, third-degree attempted false public alarm, and third-degree false public alarm. He was arrested on Wednesday in Queens, New York, with the help of the New York City Police Department and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.
Clyde Johnson is currently held at Queens County Jail, awaiting extradition to New Jersey.