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Civilian employee accused of making bomb threats at Colonna’s Shipyard

Posted at 11:40 AM, Sep 09, 2019
and last updated 2019-09-09 17:46:28-04

NORFOLK, Va. - NCIS agents arrested a civilian employee and say he made a series of bomb threats to the USS Gunston Hall and Colonna's Shipyard in August.

Court records identify the employee as Mario Cordeau Parham. He worked for Network Industries Ltd., according to the NCIS. The company provides labor services aboard the Gunston Hall. The ship is currently in dry dock at Colonna's Shipyard.

Mario Parham

On August 13, a receptionist answered the phone and heard a caller say, "There's a bomb on the Gunston Hall. You have twenty minutes to leave the boat," according to court records. In response, NCIS and police did a security sweep of the ship and found nothing suspicious.

Eight days later, the ship received a second bomb threat. This time the caller told a receptionist, "I'm in the yard and I got a bomb and I'm going to blow the boats up," according to court documents.

The calls continued and on August 26, the receptionist answered the phone and a man said, "You all think I'm playing. This is my last time calling. I'm going to blow up the shipyard and kill myself if I don't get my..." the court documents say. The receptionist tried to say something, but the man hung up before finishing his sentence.

Investigators traced phone records back to Parham and arrested him. He now faces three federal charges.

During a court hearing on Monday, investigators say Parham made a fourth call on August 30.

An NCIS Special Agent testified that Parham admitted to making the calls, but said a coworker was pressuring him to make them. Parham couldn't name the coworker, but he gave a description. Investigators are now working to determine whether anyone else is involved in the case.

A judge ruled Parham has to remain behind bars while the case continues.