LARGO, Fla. -- A former Pinellas County deputy faces a felony charge for allegedly sending a fake bomb to a sheriff's office lieutenant and claiming it was only a joke.
The alleged prank sent by James Piper quickly turned serious: Around 3 p.m. Tuesday, Lt. Joseph Gerretz opened the package containing the toy-like device at his desk and told others of the threat, forcing part of the sheriff's office to evacuate.
A police K-9 called to help investigate did not alert to the package. Members of the Tampa Police Bomb Squad were called, and they determined the package was not a threat.
The sheriff's office says Piper, 59, called his supervisor and said it was all a joke and resigned.
Piper is charged with the planting of a hoax bomb, a second-degree felony, and turned himself in to be jailed.
Authorities say Piper served at the sheriff's office from 1982-2015 and was rehired in January 2017.
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