U.S. Man Admits He Made A Hoax Call To Blow Up Statue Of Liberty Last Year

Jason Paul Smith, 42, Monday admitted that he had made a hoax threat to blow up the Statue of Liberty last year. His threat had forced thousands of tourists to evacuate from Liberty Island in New York harbor.

The West Virginian pleaded guilty to conveying "false and misleading information" as well as hoaxes before U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick in Manhattan. The defendant revealed that at present, he is under mental health treatment.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zhou said the government has granted his plea to recommend a sentence of three years' "supervised release." However, the judge is not bound by such a recommendation.

Smith can face a prison term for five years during his scheduled Sept. 6 sentencing. Jennifer Willis, a federal public defender who represents him, disclosed after the hearing that her client was satisfied with the deal.

Being from Harts, West Virginia, Smith was accused of giving out the hoax threat at 11 a.m. April 2015, in which he called himself an "ISI terrorist" named Abdul Yasin. He admitted that "we" were planning to "blow up" the Statute of Liberty.

Smith had placed a call from his iPad to New York City's emergency 911 system. He had used a service for the hearing-impaired.

More than 3,200 people were evacuated from Liberty Island after the officials learnt about the threat at about 11 a.m. However, officials sounded an "all-clear" about four hours later.

Smith's Facebook page shows that he has attended a school for the hearing-impaired. He also used a sign language interpreter in court Monday.

The iPad registered in his name was used to make two 911 calls in May 2015. A user called "ISIS Allah Bombmaker" threatened to attack Times Square and kill police officers at Brooklyn Bridge.