Man charged in City Hall bomb threat case

A man accused of calling in a bomb threat to Wichita City Hall last week has been charged with criminal threat, according to court records.

Joseph K. Cavender, 42, was nabbed Saturday after a quick-thinking Wichita police officer realized the phone number Cavender gave him as a witness to an unrelated disturbance call was the same as the one used to make the threat at 9:15 a.m. Friday. The threat indicated that a bomb had been placed at the government building.

Cavender made his first appearance in Sedgwick County District Court on the felony charge Wednesday afternoon. He is being held in Sedgwick County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond and is next due in court March 8.

If convicted, he faces 5 to 17 months in prison or could be placed on probation, depending on his prior criminal history.

This story was originally published February 22, 2017 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Man charged in City Hall bomb threat case."