Connersville Man Charged Following Fayette County Courthouse Bomb Threat

Update:

A Connersville man has confessed to making multiple bomb threats that led to the evacuation of the Fayette County Courthouse last month, according to a report released by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department. John Sheets Jr., 45, admitted to investigators on April 8 that he made the calls on March 21. Sheets reportedly stated his motive was linked to a scheduled court hearing for his girlfriend, Tera Chance, on the day of the alleged threats.

The incident began around 9:07 AM on Friday, March 21, when the Fayette County Clerk’s Office received a call from a man claiming two bombs were in the courthouse, set to detonate in 15 minutes. The caller specifically mentioned Circuit Court Judge Branstetter. Minutes later, a second, similar call was received by another clerk’s office employee, allegedly adding that everyone would “burn.” A third call, received by Fayette County Central Dispatch’s non-emergency line around 9:13 AM, stated bombs would detonate in 15 and 20 minutes.

Sheriff Zac Jones and Lt. Daniel T. Becker responded immediately, initiating an evacuation of the courthouse and establishing a secure perimeter. The Indiana State Police Bomb Unit was called to the scene, deploying a K9 trained in explosives detection. After a thorough sweep of the building, no explosive devices were found, and courthouse staff were allowed to return.

The investigation, led by Lt. Becker, focused on identifying the caller. While the calls to the Clerk’s Office showed as blocked or unavailable, a subpoena served to the office’s phone provider, Metronet Inc., successfully identified the originating number allegedly used for the threats to the Clerk’s office as 765-821-2014. Database searches linked this number to John Sheets Jr.

Investigators learned Sheets was arrested on unrelated drug charges sometime after the March 21 bomb threats and was an inmate at the Fayette County Jail when interviewed. They also discovered that Sheets’ girlfriend, Tera Chance, was scheduled for a court hearing before Judge Branstetter on the morning the threats were made.

Further alleged evidence emerged when Homewav, the jail’s inmate communication provider, assisted with voice recognition analysis. Comparing the recording of the threat made to Central Dispatch with inmate voice samples, their system identified Sheets as the most likely match, though noted by Lt. Becker as informational analysis only.

During an interview on April 8, after being advised of his rights, Sheets confessed to Lt. Becker that he made the threatening calls. According to the report, Sheets stated his motive was concern that Chance might not be admitted to the Fayette County Drug Court Program due to an issue in Ohio. He reportedly admitted to making the calls from the area near the Dollar General and Speedway Gas Station on 3rd Street and Central Avenue after walking Chance to the courthouse for her hearing. He also detailed disassembling the phone allegedly used and discarding the battery in a trash can near the gas station.

Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Justin Gray corroborated parts of Sheets’ account by recovering surveillance footage from the Speedway. The video reportedly shows Sheets in the area at the relevant time, disassembling a phone near the trash can, and later meeting up with and walking away with Tera Chance.

A Connersville man is facing a Level 5 Felony charge of Intimidation in connection with a bomb threat that forced the evacuation of the Fayette County Courthouse last month.

Lt. Dan Becker filed the charge against John Sheets, age 45, following an investigation into the March 21st incident. On that day, both the Fayette County Clerk’s Office and Fayette County Central Dispatch received phone calls alleging that a bomb was going to be detonated inside the courthouse building.

As a precautionary measure, the courthouse was immediately evacuated. Operations were halted for nearly four hours while the Indiana State Police Explosives Unit was called to the scene. The unit conducted a thorough search and ultimately cleared the building, allowing staff and the public to return.

Sheriff Zac Jones commended the officers involved in the investigation. “I would like to express my appreciation to the Detectives and Deputies who assisted with this investigation,” Sheriff Jones stated.

Fayette County Clerk Dawn Hughes expressed relief following the filing of charges. “Thank goodness they got the guy who made our lives scared and crazy for the day,” Hughes said. “A big thanks to the Dan [Becker], Zac [Jones] and everyone that day.”

Court records show that the Level 5 Felony Intimidation charge is not the only recent charge filed against Sheets. In the last days of March 2025, Sheets was also charged with:

Level 2 Felony: Dealing in a Narcotic Drug (Possession with Intent, > 10g), filed March 27th in Fayette Circuit Court.
Level 5 Felony: Escape, filed March 31st in Fayette Circuit Court.
Level 6 Felony: Intimidation (Committed because of victim’s occupation, etc.), filed March 31st in Fayette Superior Court.
Class A Misdemeanor: Resisting Law Enforcement, filed March 31st in Fayette Superior Court.

All these cases are currently listed as pending.

It is important to note that all charged individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.