GREENVILLE, NC — A Washington man who was accused of making false threats of mass violence across multiple jurisdictions and counties in Eastern North Carolina was convicted and sentenced in court last week.
On August 15, Allen Hardison III was convicted and sentenced to 19 months active confinement, followed by probation and electronic monitoring in Beaufort County Superior Court.
Hardison was arrested on January 27, 2022, after a pursuit on U.S. 264 between Greenville and Washington. Investigators said Hardison used pre-paid wireless phones to make numerous threats to schools and government establishments throughout ENC. An 18-month-long investigation determined Hardison took additional measures to conceal his involvement in the crimes including creating false texts and emails, creating accounts for the phones utilized to commit the bomb threats in the names of other people and planting evidence in an attempt to frame other people.
Officials said Hardison was a member of the Army National Guard in Rocky Mount and also communicated threats to the unit, posing as his former dating partner. Investigators said they believed his former dating partner ended a long-term relationship with him, angering him and likely motivating Hardison to commit the crimes in retaliation.
The Greenville Police Department, the State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Washington Police Department, Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office, the Beaufort County District Attorney’s Office and Lenoir County District Attorney’s Office were involved.
A global plea agreement was reached in the case. The global agreement means that all charges were settled in one central county. Hardison is also prohibited from possessing a pre-paid wireless phone as a term of his probation.
All charges are felonies unless noted as (m) for the misdemeanor below:
PITT COUNTY CHARGES:
- Flee to Elude Arrest with Motor Vehicle (1/27/2022)
- Reckless driving 01/27/2022
- (m) Resist, Delay, and Obstruct and Public Officer- (1/27/2022)
- False Bomb Threat Public Building- Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office while in Greenville City Limits (1/18/2022)
- (m) DVPO violation (1/18/2022)
- (m) DVPO violation (11/29/2022)
- (m) Cyberstalking- Texting Threats of mass violence to U.S. Army Reserve Unit in Rocky Mount, NC while in Greenville (1/20/2022)
- (m) Cyberstalking- Texting Threats of mass violence to U.S. Army Reserve Unit in Rocky Mount, NC while in Greenville (1/24/2022)
- Communicating a Threat of Mass Violence on educational property- J.H. Rose High School on (11/29/2021)
BEAUFORT COUNTY CHARGES:
- Making a False Bomb Report to a Public Building- Washington Police Department (1/16/2022)
- Making a False Bomb Report to a Public Building- Washington Police Department (1/27/2022)
LENOIR COUNTY CHARGES:
- Communicating a False Report of Mass Violence on Educational Prop- North Lenoir High School (11/16/2021)
- Communicating a False Report of Mass Violence on Educational Prop- Woodington Middle School (11/22/2021)
