A Palmerton man has been charged with calling in a bomb threat to the Carbon County Communications Center.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Detective David Roberts of Franklin Township Police Department in the case against Paul Tyahla:

Around 10:59 a.m. April 2, Carbon County Communications Center requested that Roberts contact the center immediately. Upon calling, they stated that they received a text to 911 communication reporting a bomb threat at St. Luke’s Carbon Campus.

They provided the number the text originated from and stated, “There has been a bomb threat at the Lehighton main campus” (sic).

Dispatchers also believed it may be the same individual involved in an incident earlier that morning regarding open 911 calls and texts believed to be located in the 600 block of Hahn’s Dairy Road in Lower Towamensing Township.

State police at the Lehighton barracks reported the person from that incident, Tyahla, 38, was being transported to St. Luke’s Carbon Campus by his parents.

The text message did plot as being sent somewhere in the vicinity of the intersection of Harrity Road and Pohopoco Drive.

Roberts arrived at St. Luke’s Carbon Campus at around 11:03 a.m. and met with a state trooper in the lobby of the emergency department who was in the company of Tyahla and his parents.

The trooper said that he had just been at their residence and Tyahla was experiencing paranoia.

Tyahla provided the trooper with his cellphone and on the screen was the text message to the communications center.

Tyahla admitted that he had sent the message to get a police officer to his location because he felt unsafe.

Tyahla confirmed that there was no actual device, and that his claim was fabricated.

Upon further investigation, the telephone number had been assigned to Tyahla by the cell carrier.

Text to 911 records were obtained from Carbon County Communications Center from the phone number and Tyahla had previously identified himself as “Paul.”

Tyahla faces charges of bomb threats and disorderly conduct.

He is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing June 18 before District Judge William J. Kissner of Palmerton.