LOS ANGELES — In a stunning turn of events, Brian K. Williams, former Los Angeles deputy mayor for public safety, has agreed to plead guilty to a federal felony after fabricating a bomb threat against Los Angeles City Hall, the very institution he once helped protect.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles announced Thursday that Williams, 61, will enter a guilty plea to one count of making threats involving fire and explosives — a serious federal offense with far-reaching implications. The case centers on a false bomb threat at Los Angeles City Hall, which Williams admitted to calling in last October while serving as the public safety adviser to Mayor Karen Bass.
“In an era of heightened political rhetoric and public anxiety, we cannot allow public officials to make bomb threats — even falsely,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, whose office is prosecuting the case. “It erodes trust and endangers public safety.”
The LA deputy mayor felony charge shocked city insiders. Williams had long been seen as a calm and competent presence at City Hall, having risen from the city attorney’s office to serve under two mayoral administrations. His role under Mayor Bass placed him at the helm of crisis response and coordination with emergency services.
According to federal prosecutors, the Los Angeles City Hall threat disrupted government operations and led to temporary evacuations. The charge — formally titled “information with threats regarding fire and explosives” — underscores the seriousness of making false statements about public safety threats, particularly from someone in a position of authority.
Brian K. Williams’ guilty plea comes just months after a series of devastating fires swept through the city in January. Critics of the mayor’s initial response blamed the absence of a clear public safety strategy, noting that Williams had been placed on leave amid the investigation. Mayor Bass later demoted the fire chief, sparking further questions about the city’s emergency preparedness.
Zach Seidl, a spokesman for Mayor Karen Bass, expressed disappointment in the outcome: “Like many, we were shocked when these allegations were first made and we are saddened by this conclusion.”
Williams is expected to formally plead guilty in federal court in the coming weeks. While the LA official charged with explosives threat faces a potential prison sentence of up to five years, the final outcome will depend on the court’s judgment and the terms negotiated in the plea agreement.
This political scandal in Los Angeles has raised broader concerns about leadership, trust, and accountability in municipal government. As the city reflects on the incident, officials and residents alike are calling for stronger safeguards to prevent such breaches of public trust in the future.
