A Louisiana man has admitted to calling in a threat to a Washington, D.C., pizzeria three days after a shooting at a nearby pizza place targeted by an online conspiracy theory.
U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley says 52-year-old Yusif Lee Jones of Shreveport pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of interstate threatening communications.
According to testimony at his plea hearing, on Dec. 7, Jones called the Besta Pizza shop and said he was trying to "save the kids'' and threatened to "shoot everyone in the place.''
Besta is in the same block as Comet Ping Pong, where a gunman "investigating'' fake news stories that Democrats used the restaurant to harbor child sex slaves opened fire with an assault weapon. Several neighboring businesses have had harassing calls.
Authorities traced the call to Jones, who admitted making it and was arrested.