Columbus man sentenced for bomb threat at store

A Columbus man has been sentenced to four years in prison after making a bomb threat against a Columbus store last year.

According to the Bartholomew County prosecutor’s office, Columbus police were called to the Walmart on Merchants Mile on January 26th of 2025 after a bomb threat was made on social media. The writer, Isaac Stenneski, wrote that there was a bomb in the pet food section that would blow up at 9:30 in the evening.

Officers and Emergency Ordinance Disposal technicians searched the store and did not find any explosive device.

The 22-year-old Stenneski was arrested shortly afterwards on a felony intimidation charge.

On June 25th he was sentenced to six years with four to be served in prison and two on probation. The probation requirements will included a mental health evaluation and he is ordered to comply with any recommendations of the evaluation.

Prosecutor Lindsey Holden said she was grateful to the officers and technicians who responded and that while no explosive device was found, “their dedication and coordinated efforts demonstrate the importance of taking every potential threat seriously. “