Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Payson man was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday for allegedly making a bomb threat against a hospital in September, and charges in a related case claim he made the threat so he could arrive at the hospital in time to see his child born.
Michael Sherman Morlang, 26, is accused of calling Sevier Valley Medical Center with the threat on the morning of Sept. 17. He is charged in U.S. District Court of Utah with "maliciously convey(ing) false information knowing the same to be false, concerning an attempt being made unlawfully to damage and destroy a building, by … fire and an explosive," court documents say.
U.S. Attorney's Office spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch said Morlang's threat severely affected Sevier Valley Medical Center.
"The hospital evacuated everyone possible and remained on lockdown for several hours," Rydalch said in a statement. "Individuals seeking emergency care, including patients in ambulances, had to be diverted to another hospital."
Morlang was originally charged by state prosecutors with making a threat of terrorism, a second-degree felony. The charge was filed Sept. 22, but no further hearings have been scheduled in the case since Sept. 28.
State charging documents say Morlang called in the threat because he wanted to get to the hospital in time to see his child born.
"Nurses … suspected the caller to be the husband of a patient who just had a baby because he was trying to get (his wife and others) to wait to have the baby until he got there from Idaho," charges state.
If convicted, Morlang could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He is currently incarcerated in Idaho on another warrant, according to Rydalch. A federal warrant for Morlang's arrest was expected to be issued Wednesday after he was indicted.
Morlang pleaded guilty in January to driving on a revoked license, court records show. He has no other significant criminal history in Utah.
Contributing: Sam Penrod
