MTV's 'Catfish' subject arrested for terror threats

On Wednesday, Washington, D.C.’s Metro Transit Police arrested one of the subjects from MTV’s reality series Catfish for making terrorist threats against the city’s Metro system.

In a criminal complaint filed with the United States District Court for D.C., Jerez Nehemiah Stone-Coleman (a.k.a. Kidd Cole) is alleged to have “knowingly [conveyed] false information concerning an attempt or alleged attempt to engage in terrorist attacks or other violence against mass transportation systems.”

Over the past five months, the Metro Transit Police Communications Division have received 11 phone calls reporting “bomb threats and/or hostage situations at or directed against Metro stations, trains and buses,” a Metro Transit Police press release said.

“In each instance, the caller conveyed specific threat information concerning destructive devices and intended acts of violence. Each report prompted an emergency response by Metro Transit Police and in some cases other law enforcement agencies. The threat information provided in each of the 911 calls turned out to be ‘wholly false,'” the complaint stated.

Stone-Coleman was identified as the caller through cell phone records, telephone audio and video surveillance footage from stations and buses; and a warrant was issued for his arrest on Tuesday.

Stone-Coleman appeared as “Kidd Cole” in a May 2014 episode of Catfish in which he was tracked down by the hosts after convincing a Philadelphia woman that he was signed with Kanye West’s record label and she had paid for his hotels and security.

Some of the false terrorist threats Stone-Coleman is charged with making include: saying that people “from France” told him that they planned to ambush the President’s motorcade and assassinate him; stating that he and his friends were planning to take hostages on a Metrobus and would kill them if they were not paid a $15 million ransom; telling a 911 dispatcher that a bomb had been placed at a metro station, as well as the White House.

“We have no greater responsibility than protecting Metro’s customers and employees,” Metro Transit Police Chief Ron Pavlik said in the release. “This case demonstrates the seriousness with which we take all threats and the lengths to which we will go to bring those responsible to justice.”