COLUMBUS — A Columbus man has been ordered to serve four years in prison after pleading guilty to posting a hoax bomb threat targeting a local department store on social media.
Isaac Stenneski, 22, was sentenced in Bartholomew County Superior Court to an aggregate term of six years, with four years executed inside the Indiana Department of Correction and the remaining two years suspended to probation. As part of his strict probation terms, Stenneski must undergo a comprehensive mental health evaluation and fully comply with all subsequent treatment recommendations.
The sentencing stems from a formal guilty plea entered by Stenneski to a single count of intimidation, elevated to a Level 5 felony under Indiana law due to the nature of the threat.
The incident unfolded on the evening of January 26, 2025, when the Columbus Police Department received emergency reports regarding a specific public safety threat posted to Facebook.
Using his personal account, Stenneski wrote: “There’s a bomb in the pet food section at Walmart rigged to blow at 9:30 tonight.” He subsequently updated the thread to clarify that he was targeting the west-side Walmart location situated at 2025 Merchants Mile.
The public threat prompted an immediate, large-scale emergency response. Responding patrol officers and specialized detectives evacuated the building and established a security perimeter, while Emergency Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians systematically swept the retail space.
K-9 teams and technicians thoroughly searched the pet food aisle and surrounding inventory but located no explosive devices or hazardous materials. The building was ultimately cleared and deemed safe for employees and the public. Stenneski was identified as the author of the post and arrested by police investigators shortly after the search concluded.
Court records indicate this is not Stenneski’s first encounter with regional law enforcement involving weapons or intimidation charges.
In March 2022, Stenneski was arrested in the town of Hope, Indiana, following a violent domestic dispute during which he was observed destroying his girlfriend’s vehicle using a shovel and a machete. When local officers arrived, Stenneski brandished the weapons and refused commands to disarm, prompting a high-stakes, two-hour standoff involving negotiators and Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies.
That incident only concluded after tactical units utilized less-than-lethal bean bag rounds to safely subdue him. He was later convicted and sentenced to roughly 1.5 years in prison for criminal mischief, resisting law enforcement, and intimidation with a deadly weapon.
Following the formal sentencing hearing, Bartholomew County Prosecuting Attorney Lindsey Holden-Kay praised the coordinated actions of the tactical teams who handled the panic at the retail center.
“I am grateful to the officers and detectives of the Columbus Police Department, as well as the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians, for their swift response in helping keep our community safe,” Holden-Kay said. “While no explosive device was ultimately located, their dedication and coordinated efforts demonstrate the importance of taking every potential threat seriously. We appreciate the commitment of our law enforcement partners to protecting the citizens of Bartholomew County.”
