Arrest made in Toms River ‘swatting’ incident

Toms River police have arrested a 24-year-old Manchester woman in connection with a bomb threat at Ocean County Mall in Toms River on May 30. The threat was one of several  "swatting" incidents that have plagued New Jersey towns in recent weeks.

Showander Descarte, 24, of Ridgeway Road in Manchester was arrested on June 2 after authorities executed a search warrant of the suspect's home. During the investigation, police found a cellular phone that matched the serial number of the phone used to make the bomb threat.

The threat, which resulted in the evacuation of the shopping center, was reported on May 30 at 7:42 p.m. after the Toms River Police Department received a call from the Ocean County Mall that they had received a bomb threat.

"The caller stated 'there’s a bomb' and hung up the phone. Multiple units responded to the location and established a perimeter," Toms River Community Affairs Officer Ralph Stocco said in a press release Wednesday.

In response to the threat, personnel from the Toms River Police Department, Ocean County Prosecutors Office, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department K9 Unit (SO Christine Casullo and Sgt. John Adams) and Explosive Detection K9’s from the New Jersey State Police, NJ Transit, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Department and Kean University responded, Stocco said in the press release.

Police searched the interior and exterior of the mall "and ultimately no explosive threats were found," Toms River Police said.

As part of the investigation, Stocco said Detective Dave Brubaker of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office High Technology Crimes Unit "responded to the scene to assist with the identification of the caller."

Police learned that the call originated from a cell phone. After further investigation, a court authorized search warrant was issued for Descarte's residence. On June 2, at approximately 10:30 p.m., "members of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office High Technology Crimes Unit, Manchester Police Department, and the Toms River Police Department Criminal Investigation Bureau executed the search warrant on the residence," according to authorities. The search led to the discovery of the phone which was used to call in the bomb threat.

Descarte was arrested and charged by Toms River Detective Jonathan Turner with making terroristic threats and creating a false public alarm. She is currently being held in Ocean County Jail on $10,000 bail.