Man Accused Of Calling Bomb Threat Into School Arrested: Police

LAKE COUNTY, IL — A 27-year-old Maywood man has been arrested for accusations that he called a bomb threat into a Lake County school in January.

Markeese D. Guider, 27, of the 200 block of North 2nd Street in Maywood, now faces a felony disorderly conduct-transmitting a bomb threat charge.

The bomb threat was made at about 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 25. At that time, Guider is accused of calling Gages Lake School and telling the receptionist he was going to blow up a car in the parking lot if a specific employee did not come outside, according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

An investigation into the bomb threat determined the call came from Guider's telephone. Detectives also determined Guider was in a relationship with a person working at one of the schools on the Special Education District of Lake County property.

No additional information was immediately available regarding why he made the call.

Children were kept inside Gages Lake School while authorities investigated the threat and were not dismissed until the area was deemed safe, police said.

Sheriff’s deputies and explosive detection canines from Great Lakes Naval Station conducted a thorough search of the area and did not locate any signs of a bomb or explosives, according to authorities.

Police took Guider into custody on Wednesday on a warrant in a separate case.

At the time of the bomb threat, Guider was on parole for an aggravated vehicular hijacking of a handicapped person. In November, he allegedly pointed a gun at someone in Green Oaks, and authorities obtained a warrant for his arrest on unlawfully possessing a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a felon, according to the news release.

Following his arrest on the warrant, authorities found a call on his phone to Gages Lake School on Jan. 25, and prosecutors charged him with disorderly conduct – transmitting a bomb threat.

Guider remains held in the Lake County Jail on all of his charges pending his first court appearance Thursday morning.

“Ensuring the students, teachers, and staff are safe inside our Lake County schools is of the utmost importance. Because of the close working relationship we have with SEDOL and school districts throughout the county, our deputies and detectives were able to work quickly and efficiently to make an arrest in this case," said Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said. "The offender caused major fear and disruption at the school and we will ensure he is held accountable for his reckless actions.”