University worker lies about ‘explosion’ and ‘violent note’ in campus lab, feds say

The call about an explosion in a campus lab earlier this year was a hoax, and now a former university employee has been charged in federal court, authorities said.

Jason Duhaime, formerly of San Antonio, was working as a new technology manager and director of the Immersive Media Labs at Northeastern University in Boston when he called 911 on Sept. 13, according to court records.

He told the dispatcher that he and a graduate student had grabbed several packages from the mail and brought them into the lab, authorities said. The packages includes two “Pelican cases.”

The 45-year-old man reported that when he opened one of the plastic cases, “stuff flew out” and injured his hand, according to the federal indictment. He said “very sharp” objects flew from the case, which also had a “violent note” inside.

Several law enforcement agencies responded, and Northeastern University sent out alerts asking everyone to avoid the area after the “explosion.”

But an explosion never occurred, according to federal authorities.

Northeastern University did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.

Duhaime’s defense attorney was not listed in court records as of Oct. 27 and could not be reached for comment.

First responders said they found the plastic case Duhaime mentioned in his call on a table in the lab. It had no noticeable cracks, holes or signs that it might have been in an explosion. There were also no traces of explosive residues.

Authorities did find a threatening letter, which said in part, “In the case you got today we could have planted explosives but not this time!!! Take notice!!! You have 2 months to take operations down or else!!!!! WE ARE WATCHING YOU.”

In an interview with authorities that same day, Duhaime insisted there was an explosion. He also showed an agent “several small, superficial marks on his forearms.” He said the cuts were from the explosion, and added that “things come flying out” of the case.

One of Duhaime’s computers was seized, officials said, and a “word-for-word electronic copy” of the threatening note was found in a backup folder, according to an Oct. 27 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. Authorities said Duhaime had staged the hoax explosion.

When asked if he wanted to change his statement, Duhaime said no, adding that “I’m honest. This is what happened,” according to court records.

“The charges of intentionally conveying false and misleading information related to an explosive and making materially false statements to a federal law enforcement agent each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000,” authorities said.