Cincinnati woman charged for bomb threats to Mississippi offices after Nolan Wells death

Michelle Francine Edwards, a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, was charged in federal court with transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce after she placed dozens of bomb threat calls to two Mississippi government offices on July 23, 2026. The calls targeted the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the George County Chancery Clerk’s Office, warning “Do not go outside,” “the clock is ticking,” and claiming a bomb was present. The threats triggered lockdowns and a bomb sweep with K‑9 units.

The threats came in the weeks following the death of 18‑year‑old Nolan Wells, whose body was found on July 6 after a boating incident on Horn Island, Mississippi. Investigators used emergency disclosure requests to C‑Spire and Verizon, linking the blocked number to Edwards through Cash App records and cell‑tower data near her Cincinnati address. The federal charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.