The sentencing of the man responsible for the Lawrinson Residence Hall bomb threats has triggered different reactions on campus and in the building that he threatened.

Jason Walburger, who received a six-month term in the Onondaga County Correctional Facility and five years of probation when he is released, was arrested on Nov. 26 after admitting to making four false bomb threats in September and October. He was arrested by the Department of Public Safety after an officer recognized the voice on the 911 tape, said Deputy Director of Public Safety William Ferguson.

At the time he made the threats, Walburger was working as a janitor for both Lawrinson and Sadler Residence Halls.

Walburger plead guilty to four charges of falsely reporting an incident in exchange for the sentence that he received.

“I think what he got was good but it was a little less than I expected,” said freshman Saba Afshar, who lives on the fifth floor of Lawrinson.

He said imposing the Anti-Terrorism Laws that were passed a week after the Sept. 11 attacks would have been too harsh in this case. The new laws make calling in a bomb threat a Class E felony with a maximum penalty of seven years in state prison.

District Attorney Amy Russo, who tried the Walburger case, could not be reached for comment.

Mike Lemm, the Public Safety investigator who arrested Walburger, said the reason the judge did not impose a harsher sentence is because Walburger had no previous criminal record and that despite his actions, no one was injured during the threats. After he arrested Walburger, Lemm stayed abreast of the development of the court proceedings.

“Each case is unique in its own merits,” Lemm said.

Lemm also said Walburger’s six-month sentence cannot be reduced, but the real challenge will be the lengthy probation term.

“Five years of probation can be difficult to complete,” he said. “It is not like after his six months he is going to walk away scott free.”

Although the exact terms of Walburger’s probation will be determined by an appointed probation officer closer to his release, Lemm said that it will probably consist of periodical checkups and staying out of any more trouble.

SU spokesman Kevin Morrow said that the decision was the maximum penalty allowed by state law in this type of case.

“Is six months an adequate punishment for this crime?” Morrow said. “According to New York State it is.”

Published on February 28, 2002 at 12:00 pm