Former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Brian Williams Pleads Guilty To Placing Fake Bomb Threat On L.A. City Hall

The United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California announced on Friday that former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Brian Williams has agreed to plead guilty in threatening to bomb Los Angeles City Hall last year.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the plea agreement states that “on October 3, 2024, while serving as Deputy Mayor of Public Safety for the City of Los Angeles, Williams participated in a virtual meeting with multiple people in connection with his official duties. During this meeting, Williams used the Google Voice application on his personal cellphone to place a call to his city-issued cellphone. Williams then left the virtual meeting and placed a call to the Chief of Staff of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). During this call, Williams falsely stated that he received a call on his city-issued cellphone from an unknown man who threatened to bomb Los Angeles City Hall.

“In fact, Williams received no such call and had made the bomb threat himself. At no time did Williams intend to carry out the threat.”

What followed was pandemonium. Williams told Mayor Karen Bass and other top city officials that an anti-Israeli man placed a bomb in City Hall. He then sent a text, trying to assure the Mayor and others that it was being taken care of and that no evacuation was needed.

“At this time, there is no need for us to evacuate the building, I’m meeting with the threat management officers within the next 10 minutes,” read Williams’ text. “In light of the Jewish holidays, we are taking this thread, a little more seriously. I will keep you posted.”

While there was no threat, the LAPD subsequently investigated the false claim. Soon, Williams’ name came up as a possible suspect. As soon as he was seen as the “likely source of the threat,” the LAPD referred the case to the FBI because of possible conflicts of interest with Williams overseeing the LAPD as part of his job.

The FBI swiftly ramped up the investigation, with Williams denying for months that he was involved in the hoax despite evidence on his cell phone showing that he was the perpetrator. This included leading a search on Williams’ home in December and Williams being placed on leave following the FBI taking over the investigation only days later. Williams subsequently left the position and, after months of court red tape, Williams finally agreed this week to take a plea deal.

Taking a plea deal

“In an era of heated political rhetoric that has sometimes escalated into violence, we cannot allow public officials to make bomb threats,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli this week. “My office will continue its efforts to keep the public safe, including from those who violate their duty to uphold the law.”

“Mr. Williams, the former deputy mayor of Public Safety for Los Angeles, not only betrayed the residents of Los Angeles, but responding officers, and the integrity of the office itself, by fabricating a bomb threat,” added Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office Akil Davis. “Government officials are held to a heightened standard as we rely on them to safeguard the city. I’m relieved that Mr. Williams has taken responsibility for his inexplicable actions.”

As Williams agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge of information with threats regarding fire and explosives, his max sentence could be as much as 10 years in a federal prison.

Williams was the Deputy Mayor of Public Safety in Los Angeles from February 2023 until his abrupt end in December 2024. Under this role, Williams oversaw multiple law enforcement and first responder agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Port of Los Angeles Police, the Los Angeles World Airport Police, and the Emergency Management Department. Before being selected as Deputy Mayor by Bass, Williams was the Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Civilian Oversight Commission, a position he previously held since December 2016.

Williams is expected to make his initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks. The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force is also still currently investigating the incident. It is currently unknown as to why Williams placed the fake bomb threat or what he hoped to achieve from it.