Westwood man accused of Fall River Justice Center bomb threat held without bail

FALL RIVER — The empty threat, reporting a bomb in the courthouse, was not Paul Haddad’s first call to the Justice Center on Thursday, police alleged.

He called probation officers during the day to express his displeasure about how the courts handled a domestic violence case involving a relative, police said. Those calls were recorded.

That break was enough to lead to the arrest of Haddad, 56, 672 High St., Westwood, Thursday night, to charge him with making the bomb threat that emptied the courthouse Thursday at noon.

Haddad is being held without bail after his arraignment Friday in district court. Judge Toby Mooney granted the request by prosecutor Carolyn Morrissette to have Haddad held until a hearing next Thursday to determine if he is too dangerous to be released on bail pending trial.

A clerk in the superior court office reported she received a call just before noon by a man reporting there was a bomb in the building. She transferred the call to Court Officer Nelson Paiva, who spoke to the man and then notified Chief Peter Sullivan. Sullivan ordered the court evacuated.

The evacuation included the superior court, where the Aaron Hernandez murder trial was underway. Testimony resumed Thursday afternoon.

Fall River police, accompanied by their bomb-sniffing dog, searched the building along with state troopers and Court Officers Lonnie Sharrack and Rich Curt, the two trained to lead courthouse searches.

In the meantime, Fall River police Lt. Paul Bernier led the investigation into the bomb threat, interviewing court personnel and retrieving the recordings of conversations with Haddad, police reported.

Paiva identified Haddad as the caller who relayed the threat to him, police reported.

Officers Brett Kimball and Sgt. Bill Mace went to Westwood and enlisted the help of the Westwood police. Haddad was arrested without incident at home and held overnight in jail.

“I am pleased that the Fall River Police Department was able, so quickly, to locate a suspect and place him under arrest,” Police Chief Daniel Racine said. “At this point, the investigation has revealed that the bomb threat had nothing to do with the Aaron Hernandez trial.

“It should be clear that we will not allow, and have no tolerance for, distractions to take place at the Justice Center.”

Bomb threats are included in the chapter of the law entitled Crimes Against Public Peace.

The threat of a bomb is enough, according to the law. Making the threat is a crime, even if there is no bomb.

A conviction on the charge carries a penalty of at least three years, and up to 20 years, in prison.

The court can also determine how much the victim of a threat lost. A person convicted of making the threat can be ordered to repay that cost.

Haddad will face trial in superior court.