Hialeah Man Charged After Calling in False Bomb Threat to Salvation Army in Miami-Dade

A 63-year-old Hialeah resident is facing a felony charge for allegedly phoning in a bomb threat to the Salvation Army’s northwest Miami-Dade location at 1907 NW 38th Street, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. The front desk employee received two consecutive calls from the same number, with the caller requesting to speak with a particular case worker supervisor, deputies said.

During the second call, which the receptionist placed on speaker phone, witnesses heard the caller declare that a live explosive device was inside the building. The phone number making the calls displayed the name “Alex Boom” on the recipient’s caller identification, authorities reported.

Emergency personnel evacuated the facility and deployed Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office K9 units to search for any explosive devices. After an extensive investigation spanning several hours, officials determined the building posed no danger and allowed occupants to return inside.

Investigators traced the calls to Juan Carlos Siblia-Lopez, a Hialeah resident living with his mother. Siblia-Lopez acknowledged that his phone was registered under the alias “Alex Boom” and confessed to making the threatening calls, according to an arrest affidavit. He was charged with falsely reporting a bomb threat.

As of Thursday morning, Siblia-Lopez remained in custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center pending bond determination.