Cautionary Call: One Man’s Phone Sparks Five Years Behind Bars

Steven Sandoval, 47, attempted to evade jail by dialing a bomb threat from a payphone near King Soopers in Brighton. The call triggered an evacuation of roughly 1,000 courthouse staff and store customers for four hours. Police traced the call quickly because they already knew Sandoval, and he was taken into custody.

In early May, Sandoval pleaded guilty to a felony false report of explosives. A month later the judge sentenced him to three years for that charge, while he was also scheduled to face a separate identity‑theft case.

The court discovered that Sandoval had already been convicted of identity theft, adding an additional two‑year sentence that runs consecutively. The single prank call now results in a total of five years behind bars.

The judge and district attorney warned that threats—real or imagined—disrupt public services and endanger communities. The case serves as a stern reminder that such actions will be prosecuted and punished.