Iowa City Police: Bank robbery suspect called in West High bomb threat

IOWA CITY - The bomb threat Tuesday at Iowa City West High School was apparently meant to serve as a distraction for a bank robbery.

Iowa City police announced on Friday that 30-year-old Clifton R. Brinkmeyer, the suspect in Tuesday's US Bank robbery, has been charged with threat of terrorism in connection with the bomb threat.

'One act was intended to aid the other act,” said Sgt. Scott Gaarde.

Police said the Johnson County Joint Emergency Communications Center took a 911 call at 8:40 a.m. reporting an explosive device was at the high school.

'There is an explosive device in West High, you have 30 minutes,” the caller said.

Dispatchers were unable to call back the incoming call, police said.

As police were responding to the bomb threat and more than 2,000 students were being removed from the school on buses, Brinkmeyer allegedly robbed the US Bank branch on Williams Street in Iowa City around 9:05 a.m.

Officers were in the area of the bank robbery and stopped Brinkmeyer. During their interaction, police found a plastic gun on him. He was later interviewed and charged with second-degree robbery, a Class C felony.

Following Brinkmeyer's arrest, police searched his vehicle. During that search, they recovered the phone allegedly used to make the 911 call reporting the bomb threat. According to a criminal complaint, GPS and cell site information were used to confirm the phone found in Brinkmeyer's car made the 911 call.

Police said Brinkmeyer posted bond after his Tuesday arrest for robbery, but has since been returned to custody on the terrorism charge.

Threat of terrorism is a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison. If convicted of both crimes, Brinkmeyer could spend up to 15 years in prison.