A man who called in a bomb threat to the Carbon County courthouse so a co-worker did not have to report for a urine test, was sentenced to a state prison term on Monday in the county court.

Jason Rockie Bracero, 32, of Jim Thorpe, was sentenced by Judge Steven R. Serfass to serve 18 to 60 months in a state correctional institution on a felony count of terroristic threats. He was also sentenced in a second case on charges of resisting arrest, persistent disorderly conduct and false alarms to agencies, to serve a total of nine to 24 months in a state prison. The terms run concurrently.

Bracero was charged with calling in a bomb threat to the courthouse on Oct. 21, 2020. Arrested with him was Christopher Ohl, 44, of Lehighton.

Ohl, who was scheduled to appear at the Carbon County Adult Probation Office for a urine test, expressed his concern of failing the test to his co-worker Bracero, who offered to call in a bomb threat to the courthouse. Ohl obtained a prepaid phone which Bracero used to make the threat. Cellphone tower data was used to procure video surveillance footage showing Bracero walking away from Ohl’s car with the cellphone that corresponds to the time and location of the call.

The resisting arrest and related charges stem from an incident on Oct. 25, 2020, when Jim Thorpe police attempted to serve a warrant on him. He fled into the Lehigh River but was eventually taken into custody. The warrant was for the bomb threat incident.

Serfass said the incident was serious because it forced the evacuation of all personnel and visitors from the courthouse. He said a lengthy state prison term was appropriate for what occurred and to protect the public and make sure something like that does not happen again.

Bracero did not say anything during the proceeding. He has been in jail since his arrest on Oct. 25, 2020.

In addition to the prison terms, Serfass ordered Bracero to make restitution to the sheriff’s department for $305.17 in overtime pay for deputies; to the state police for the use of a K-9 to check out the courthouse for $296.85; and to Molly Maguires Pub & Steakhouse, located across from the courthouse which had to close due to the threat, for lost revenue of $1,547.10. He must also get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, attend and successfully complete an anger management course, supply a DNA sample and pay court costs of about $1,000.

He was given credit for a total of 284 days spent in jail on the charges.

Ohl is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on Oct. 18 for his part in the incident.