Jail inmate phoned in Hannaford bomb threat and mailed in another market threat, police allege

Kristopher J. Surdis. (KPD arrest photo)

An inmate at the Ulster County Jail is facing a felony charge after, Kingston Police said, he phoned in a bomb threat Wednesday which led to the temporary evacuation of the Kingston Plaza Hannaford.

According to the KPD, Kristopher J. Surdis, 42, phoned in the bomb threat (from jail) at about 4:13 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, resulting in the supermarket being evacuated for about a half-hour. Police said Surdis had told the person who answered the phone at Hannaford that a bomb was about to go off.

Police responded and soon determined there was no bomb. Further investigation led to Surdis’ arrest and charge of first-degree false reporting of an incident, a felony. Police said a prior conviction on a false-reporting charge in 2008 led to the felony charge.

Surdis was arraigned and sent back to the jail without bail.

And on May 8, according to Ulster County sheriff’s deputies, Surdis placed a letter in the jail’s outgoing mail which made a threat to an unspecified local supermarket. The letter was intercepted and Surdis charged with another felony, making a terroristic threat. He will be arraigned in Kingston City Court at a later date, the sheriff’s office said. The investigation is continuing and further charges are possible, the sheriff’s office.