Pottsville police have arrested Todd Dohner, 48, of Pine Grove for making calls to the Schuylkill County Courthouse overnight Thursday, threatening to have terrorists shoot up a school unless the courthouse was closed by noon.

The caller said he was the leader of a "terrorist group" and would have his group shoot students at a school from 100 yards away at 3 p.m. if his demand was not met.The courthouse was closed at about 11 a.m.Dohner is charged with two counts of felony terroristic threats, two counts of felony criminal use of a communication facility and two counts of persistent disorderly conduct.He was video arraigned by on-call District Judge Anthony Kilker, Shenandoah, and jailed in the county prison under $500,000 cash bail.Pottsville police Chief Richard F. Wojciechowsky said in a prepared statement that Dohner admitted to making the calls.He said police "gained evidence that specific incoming calls correlating to the times the threat calls had been received had been made from a cellular phone utilizing cell towers in the Pine Grove area."Further investigation led them to a specific cell phone number, and "independent information" revealed the number was Dohner's.At about 2:40 p.m., police went to the home of Dohner and his father and took Dohner to the police station.Police interviewed him about his role in the threatening calls."During the course of the interview Dohner admitted to placing the calls using his cellular phone from his home and the phone he used to do so was recovered by police inside his home," Wojciechowsky said.Police believe Dohner acted alone and is not part of any terrorist organization. There is no ongoing threat to any government buildings or schools, Wojciechowsky said.Dohner has a criminal history stretching back to 1989. In February 2013, he pleaded guilty to making terroristic threats to cause serious public inconvenience, and harassment involving lewd, threatening language.In March 2013 he pleaded guilty to indecent exposure.County Commissioner George Halcovage late Friday said the investigation and evacuation of the courthouse went smoothly."We're very fortunate to have knowledgable and efficient law enforcement people with great investigational skills," he said."They were in contact with the schools, and there was great communication throughout the whole incident."Our employees handled the decision to have them leave before noon very professionally. The courthouse has regular safety drills, and everyone followed protocol. We're very proud of them," Halcovage said.Dohner's threats sent employees home early for the weekend, closed facilities and appeared to put the judicial system into disarray by mid-day.The courthouse was emptied of staff before noon, doors were locked, and a sheriff's vehicle blocked access to the parking lot."This is sad. I lived my whole life here. I live right here by the courthouse and this never happened before," said Linda Dieter, Pottsville, who joined neighbor Gurney Bixler in watching people being turned away. "I think it was someone who didn't want to appear in court or go to jail." Dieter said. "There's a state police investigator in there right now."Unhappy endingsThroughout the afternoon, residents approached the courthouse to transact business, unaware of the shutdown, only to be greeted by hastily-written "Closed" signs posted on doors."I came here to pay my fines," said Donald Baker of Pottsville. "It's a shame that stuff like this happens."The closure appeared to throw a wrench in the judicial system and tempers flared. Some who were rebuffed in trying to pick up discharged inmates at the Schuylkill County Prison, across the street from the courthouse, were very angry."We came to pick up my son. He's been in jail since Aug. 15 and is being released today," said Shalette Jones of Hazleton, joined by Antoine Smalls. The pair drove from Hazleton for what was supposed to be a happy day.She said her son, Tyrone Guzman, 25, was sentenced to serve time in connection with recent legal woes.At the jail door, Jones was told that the paperwork for her son's release was still across the street at the courthouse, which isn't expected to open until Monday.Jones said it essentially means her son will remain in jail over the weekend.Another complainant said she, too, was turned away when trying to pick up her loved one."He's in jail because he fell behind on costs and fines. Now he'll really snap out," said the woman, who declined to give her name."I don't want to make anything worse for him than it already is," she said.Everyone affectedA uniformed employee of the jail appeared displeased and snapped at media."Don't take my picture," he said. "There's nothing here, the problem is over there," as he pointed to the courthouse.But when told the problem impacted the jail, too, he angrily disagreed."No, it doesn't. We have a DJ (district justice) on call 24 hours," he replied, entering the jail and closing the door.But family members of inmates said that answer doesn't suffice."My son had a public defender based in the courthouse. What good does a DJ do," she said.Another man who refused to be identified noted a similarity to threats made at the western end of the county."You'd think people would learn a lesson after Pine Grove," he said, referring to a series of four bomb threats made two weeks ago at Pine Grove Area High School. A juvenile has been apprehended in that investigation.Some schools were in temporary lockdown.Marian High School was one of them.At Tamaqua Area School District, classes were proceeding as normal.