A Morongo Valley man who called in a bomb threat to a bank in Yucca Valley last week was arrested Friday. According to a Sheriff’s press release, a man who identified himself as Steven Castillo called the Yucca Valley branch of Chase Bank four times Thursday morning between 9 and 12:15, asking for assistance in withdrawing funds from his brother’s account. With each phone call, he became more upset at employees when he was asked to come to the bank and show proper documentation. The Sheriff’s press release states during the final call, Castillo allegedly said he was going to drop a bomb on the building. The bank manager evacuated the building and Yucca Valley deputies searched the bank but did not find a bomb. Bank employees searched their database but did not find a customer named Steven Castillo.
On Friday, at 11:22, a man who identified himself as David Steven Castillo entered the Chase bank and tried to make an ATM transaction, but his PIN had been blocked. After speaking with employees, Castillo left the bank. Employees believed Castillo to be the same man who had called in the bomb threat the previous day, and called deputies, providing a description and direction of travel. Deputies located Castillo on Joshua Lane near Yucca Trail. During the investigation, Castillo admitted calling the bank Thursday, but did not remember making any threats. David “Steven” Castillo, 60, was arrested on suspicion of making terrorist threats, booked at the Morongo Basin Jail, with his bail set at $50,000.
