Photo: Andrew Goff


PREVIOUSLY:

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A man indicted in federal court for a series of threats to McKinleyville High School in 2023 must be evaluated to determine if he is mentally competent before proceedings against him can continue.

Court documents indicate 23-year-old Tyler Leroy Hilbert of Calhoun, Missouri, has a history of convictions for fake 911 calls. He also has mental disabilities that could affect his competency for prosecution.

A Missouri district court ordered he undergo a psychological examination, records show.

The MHS hoax threats, which lasted from late November to early December 2023, prompted school lockdowns, drew earnest law enforcement responses and thoroughly freaked out parents.

Details in an affidavit for his arrest allege the threats in Humboldt County began after the mother of a minor victim, whom he met on Snapchat, took away her devices following some concerning texts allegedly from the defendant.

The mother believed the threats were sparked because he could not get in contact with the minor victim.

According to an affidavit, Hilbert allegedly texted the minor victim “I did a prank on your school;” “I’m doing something to your school rn [right now];” and “Your school is lockdown because I’m walking around with a gun.”

Hilbert is accused of making a series of calls to police in Humboldt County, including reporting that there were school shooters at MHS and that the minor victim was cutting herself. He is similarly accused of calling MHS and threatening to shoot people and reporting, on multiple occasions, that he placed a bomb on campus.

In texts contained in the indictment, he allegedly threatened he would kill the minor victim, kill her family members, rape her, hurt her and send someone to blow up her house.

The FBI tracked calls and messages to an IP address associated with Hilbert’s parents, where he lives, and associated numbers with his name, according to court documents.

A Henry County, Missouri, dispatcher told the FBI “their agency was familiar with Hilbert, who had dozens of reported misuses of 911 and false emergency related calls for service,” according to the affidavit. According to court documents, he has been convicted in Missouri for making a false report, misusing 911 and placing fictitious 911 calls, in separate cases.

Hilbert was indicted and arrested in January 2026 on five felony charges, including cyberstalking of a minor, cyberstalking, interstate threats, interstate threats involving explosives, and hoaxes.

He also allegedly Googled “if someone commits a bomb threat is it a misdemeanor,” according to the affidavit.

But court proceedings have largely been concerned with details related to the man’s competency. He has been under guardianship by his parents since November 2023. He is diagnosed with level 2 autism, which requires “substantial support,” as well as ADHD and intellectual and physical disabilities, court records show.

Prior to his initial appearance, the government filed a motion for determination of the defendant’s competency, which was ordered in February. According to court documents, the arraignment and detention hearing will be deferred until after a decision is made on this matter.

The Court also ordered a custodial evaluation, noting he was able to make threats despite his parents’ guardianship efforts. The court pointed to community concern with the false threats and that Hilbert “is adept at obtaining electronic devices and masking his identity when using them.”