Neil Prescott Faces Telephone Misuse Charges in Averted Threat Case

UPDATE (2:30 p.m.)—Neil Prescott of Crofton was charged with telephone misuse related to an last week in which he allegedly made threatening calls to his workplace.

The announcement was made Wednesday afternoon by Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks and Prince George’s County Police Chief Mark Magaw at the county courthouse in Upper Marlboro.

Alsobrooks said that Section 3-804 was the only Maryland law under which Prescott could be charged because the state does not have a law against making threats by phone. The charge of telephone misuse, which is a misdemeanor in the state, carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $500 fine.

Prescott won't be arrested until his release from an Annapolis hospital where he has been since Friday. Magaw said it's his understanding that charges are also pending by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

If convicted and sentenced to more than two years, Prescott would not be able to own or buy additional guns.

Anne Arundel County police announced they took a man into custody early Friday morning during a news conference, but did not name or confirm the identity of the male suspect. Police said on Friday during a press conference that a man made threatening calls to Pitney Bowes, a software and hardware manufacturer.

Prescott allegedly said, "I'm the joker, and I'm going to load my guns and blow everyone up."

Supervisors told investigators that they received threats from a disgruntled employee who was in the process of being fired—but a spokesperson for Pitney Bowes said the man was actually an employee of a subcontractor of the company.

A team that included Prince George’s County detectives; ATF special agents; and members of the Anne Arundel County Special Operations Division executed a search warrant at Prescott's Crofton apartment about 3:20 a.m. Friday. Police said the ATF from the home and released a photo of the weapons. Alsobrooks said he owned all of the guns legally and will not face any gun charges from the state.

Magaw said that the police's priority was to eliminate the threat.

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