Paterson, New Jersey, Woman Admits Calling in Hoax Bomb Threats to Camden Federal Courthouse and Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Paterson, New Jersey, woman today admitted calling in hoax bomb threats to the federal courthouse in Camden and the Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Amdije Toska, 40, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court to an information charging her with one count of hoax bomb threats.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On the morning of Jan. 12, 2018, Toska called the Clerk’s Office of the Camden federal courthouse and stated there was a bomb in the building. The Clerk’s Office employee who answered the phone recognized Toska as a civil litigant with a case assigned to a U.S. District Court judge, who had previously issued an order directing Toska to cease all communications with the Clerk’s Office and permitting the Clerk’s Office to disconnect future calls from Toska.

Later than morning, Toska called back and said, “There’s a bomb in the building, run.” Bomb detecting K-9 units from the Camden County Police, U.S. Park Service (Philadelphia Office) and Camden County Sheriff’s Office responded to the federal courthouse. 

That afternoon, Toska again called another bomb threat into the Clerk’s Office. When the employee who answered the phone asked Toska why she was making bomb threats, Toska responded, “The judge is torturing me, so I am torturing you, an eye for an eye.” 

Meanwhile, earlier that same morning, Toska called the Hughes Justice Complex and stated that there was a bomb in the building. As a result of this call, officials at the Hughes Justice Complex evacuated the building.

The following post on “Amie Toska’s” Facebook account appeared that day: “I have had enough of being ignored I am prank calling the entire world.” Also, a Twitter account believed to be associated with Toska posted a “reply” stating, “I just called Doj in DC, Camden courts and Njtpd lawyer and told them there’s a bomb in the building then I hung up…There is no bomb but I will continue to scare them until I am heard…I want JUSTICE DAMMIT.” Another “reply” stated, “I’m not gonna stop calling the courts/doj/or njt lawyer and telling them there’s a bomb in the building. I will make them suffer by getting them scared. Let them shit in their pants for days. Idgaf….I want JUSTICE.”

The count of making hoax bomb threats is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 18, 2019.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the U.S. Marshal Service, under the direction of United States Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., District of New Jersey, and special agents of the FBI, South Jersey Resident Agency, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Harpster, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Deputy U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Skahill and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson M. Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden, New Jersey.