Bucks County, Pennsylvania – On Monday, August 14, 2023, Valerie Joy Travis, a 43-year-old resident of Bensalem, was arrested and charged with multiple offenses related to false 911 calls and threats of violence. Over a span of nine months, Travis filed more than 100 false 911 calls and made 13 threats of violence directed towards Bucks County district judges, the Bristol Township Police Department, a county employee, and other locations and public gatherings.
The charges against Travis include felony counts of terroristic threats, criminal use of a communication facility, and unlawful use of a computer, as well as misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats and violation of emergency communication services. After being arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Michael W. Gallagher, Travis was sent to Bucks County Correctional Facility under a bail amount of $750,000. The investigation into Travis’s activities was a joint effort by the Bensalem Township Police Department, the Bristol Township Police Department, and Bucks County Detectives.
During the investigation, it was discovered that between August 16, 2022, and May 30, 2023, Travis used her phone to make 116 false 911 reports, either through phone calls or text messages, to the Bucks County Department of Emergency Communications. While all of these reports were found to be unfounded, each one required action from the Department of Emergency Communications and law enforcement. Additionally, Travis submitted 13 threats of mass shootings or explosions through electronic tips to the FBI National Threat Operations Center, the Bristol Township Police Crimewatch page, and the Bensalem Township Police Crimewatch page. These threats occurred between April 28, 2023, and August 1, 2023.
Four of these threats were specifically aimed at Magisterial District Judge Kevin P. Wagner Sr. and his Bath Road courthouse in Bristol Township. As a result, the courthouse was evacuated on May 30, and approximately 20 people had to leave the premises. This forced evacuation disrupted an eviction hearing involving Travis’s mother. Law enforcement conducted a thorough search of the building and surrounding area but found no evidence to support the threats.
Furthermore, it was discovered that Travis had also targeted two other Magisterial District courthouses, an employee with the Bucks County Department of Human Services, the Bristol Township Police Department, two Bristol Township motels where Travis had previously lived with her mother, Philadelphia City Hall, and LGBTQ/Pride events. Investigators utilized cellphone data and other electronic evidence to confirm that Travis was responsible for the false calls, text messages, and online threats. Despite the lack of credibility behind these threats, law enforcement in Bucks County took every precaution to ensure the safety of the public.
The investigation into Travis’s actions was carried out by detectives from the Bensalem Township Police Department, the Bristol Township Police Department, and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Megan Hunsicker, who is working diligently to pursue justice in this matter.
In conclusion, Valerie Joy Travis’s actions of filing false 911 calls and making threats of violence have resulted in her facing serious charges. Not only did these actions waste law enforcement resources and taxpayer money, but they also caused unnecessary fear and disruption within the community. The collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies led to Travis’s arrest, demonstrating their commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of the residents of Bucks County.
