Man Charged With Falsely Reporting Bomb in Decatur
Antonio Lugo-Santiago, 41, faces a Class 3 felony after allegedly emailing a bomb threat to Heritage Behavioral.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Terrorism
Prosecutors charged Antonio Lugo-Santiago with a Class 3 felony for falsely reporting a bomb, a count of disorderly conduct. He was arraigned on the bomb threat charge and remains in custody.
Why it matters
The charge adds to criminal damage to property allegations already pending against Lugo-Santiago and reflects the seriousness of threats sent to a mental health facility. Lugo-Santiago has been in custody since September after allegedly violating the conditions of his pretrial release.
Lugo-Santiago faces one count of disorderly conduct for falsely reporting a bomb, classified as a Class 3 felony, and was already facing criminal damage to property charges. A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 18, where he is expected to enter a plea, though the outcome of that plea is not yet known.
The players
Antonio Lugo-Santiago
A 41-year-old man from Decatur, Illinois, who is facing a Class 3 felony charge for allegedly falsely reporting a bomb.
Heritage Behavioral
A mental health center in the Decatur area that received the alleged bomb threat email.
The details
On July 23, Lugo-Santiago allegedly emailed Heritage Behavioral claiming that packages believed to be bombs were at each door and counting down. Lugo-Santiago was already in custody when the bomb threat charge was filed, having been taken in September for allegedly violating the conditions of his pretrial release.
Timeline
July 23: Alleged bomb threat email sent to Heritage Behavioral.
September: Lugo-Santiago taken into custody for alleged pretrial release violation.
Nov. 18: Preliminary hearing, where Lugo-Santiago is expected to enter a plea.
Legal Context
Illinois treats falsely reporting a bomb as disorderly conduct, and when the offense is charged as a Class 3 felony it carries more serious consequences than a misdemeanor. Lugo-Santiago's case applies that felony provision to a threat sent by email to a behavioral health provider.
Residents of Decatur and staff at local behavioral health providers may be affected by threats of this kind, which can prompt security reviews and building responses. The case reminds the public that false bomb reports are prosecuted as felonies in Illinois.
The takeaway
False bomb threats are treated as serious felonies that can lead to jail time and extended pretrial detention. Anyone who receives or witnesses a threat should report it promptly to local law enforcement.
What happens next
Lugo-Santiago is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 18, where he will enter a plea in his latest case.
Further reading
For more on threats like this, browse Terrorism coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WCIA.
