Police: Man Arrested For Threats Against LA County Fair Wanted 'Excuse' Not To Go With Parents

POMONA (CBSLA) — Pomona police have arrested a Sylmar man for making false threats to the Los Angeles County Fair, they say because he wanted an "excuse" not to go with his parents.

The Pomona Police Department says it became aware of the threats — sent via email — Friday afternoon and were able to identify the sender, Erik Villasenor, of Sylmar.

Officers were dispatched to Villasenor's residence, where he admitted to the hoax. Pomona Chief of Police Mike Olivieri said in a press conference Saturday they believe the suspect sought to disrupt the fair because he did not wish to go.

"He felt that it was appropriate to send this threat and we believe it was with the intent that it would ... spark some chaos and commotion; it would be captured by the media and then he could use that as an excuse to his parents to not go to the fair," Olivieri said.

Villasenor was placed under arrest and booked at the Pomona City Jail.

Bail was set at $20,000 and Villasenor had not been released as of Saturday afternoon, according to the sheriff's online inmate information.

L.A. County Fair officials said they worked with both the Pomona Police and the FBI to help confirm the threats were false.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Pomona Police Department at 909-620-2085.

Security is expected to be elevated for the duration of the fair.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

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