911 caller arrested in USF bomb, gun scare released from county jail

Former USF student Markenson Innocent, who made the 911 call that put USF’s campus on lockdown Oct. 5, was released from jail Saturday, but the case still remains open for University Police (UP).

It’s not a “very active” investigation said UP spokeswoman Lt. Meg Ross, but UP will continue submitting evidence collected from Innocent’s house to the state attorney’s office, which is reviewing the case for prosecution.

Investigators are still processing evidence at their labs, including information obtained from Innocent’s computer, Ross said.

UP will not consider the case closed until Innocent goes to court, she said. The state attorney’s office told Ross last week that an attorney has not been assigned the case yet, she said.

“(His release) has really nothing to do with (the investigation),” Ross said. “When they set the bond, it’s just a matter of whether they can get the money.”

Innocent was released from Orient Road Jail after someone paid 10 percent of his $9,750 bond, according to his charge report.

The bondsman can accept the 10 percent based on the guarantee that the arrested individual will appear in court, Ross said. If the individual does not appear, then he or she must pay the remaining bond and will be summoned to court.

Innocent is charged with a felony of a false report of a bomb against state-owned property, a felony of unlawful use of two-way communication device and a misdemeanor of disrupting school campus or function.

According to comments Innocent posted on his Facebook, he traveled to Miami after his release. Innocent could not be reached for comment.

Whether or not Innocent was allowed to leave the area while his case is open depends on the provisions the jail set upon his release, Ross said.

Officials at Orient Road Jail did not return phone calls made Sunday.

UP has closed its investigation of the other individual arrested in relation to the Oct. 5 gun and bomb scare: USF student Vincent Thomas-Perry McCoy, who was arrested for claiming he had a bomb on a Bull Runner bus.

Authorities did not believe that McCoy’s and Innocent’s cases were related, Ross said. McCoy is still in jail. His $7,500 bond was revoked.

Ross said judges make the decision to revoke a bond sometimes based on outstanding warrants or criminal history.

McCoy may have been on probation prior to his arrest or had a pending charge, which would have led to his revoked bond, Ross said.

McCoy is charged with a felony of false report of a bomb against state-owned property and a court-ordered felony charge of theft from persons 65 years of age or older.

His previous charges include possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and theft from persons 65 years of age or older in July.

Innocent’s previous charges include driving with a suspended, canceled or revoked license, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief of $1,000 or more in February 2007, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and an open container in December 2008.

According to a police report, Innocent called 911 on Oct. 5 from a University Mall pay phone, identified himself to the dispatcher as “Isaiah Daniels” and said “Markenson Innocent” was on campus with a gun and a bomb.

MoBull text messages, sirens in the Emergency Notification System, University e-mails and Web site updates were used to inform students and faculty of the emergency.

Authorities put the campus on lockdown for nearly four hours. On the day of the incident, Innocent posted Facebook comments that contained details about the emergency situation that were not available to the public, which led police to his arrest on Oct. 7.

Additional reporting by Jenna Withrow