Largo man charged after bomb hoax at FBI Tampa Field Office

TAMPA, Fla. - A Largo man was charged after a bomb hoax near the FBI's Tampa Field Office caused major disruptions to the area on Tuesday, federal prosecutors said.

Nicki Wayne Goodman, 49, has been charged with conveying false information to perpetuate a hoax. Officials said Goodman made his first appearance in federal court in Tampa on Thursday, where he was ordered to be detained.

Follow FOX 13 on YouTube

The backstory:

Officials at the FBI's Tampa Field Office said they discovered a suspicious black backpack placed outside the main security gate along with a cardboard sign that identified federal agents by name and a YouTube account that belonged to Goodman. Prosecutors said the signs also stated "My name is Nicki Goodman" and "ABolish Government," among other things, as well as racial epithets.

Booking photo of Nicki Wayne Goodman.

Several other cardboard signs with messages were also discovered near the main entrance gate, according to officials. Surveillance footage even showed Goodman placing the bag and signs outside the gate the previous night.

After the backpack was found, law enforcement swarmed the area, including the Tampa Police Department's bomb squad and patrol units as well as Tampa Fire Rescue crews. According to federal prosecutors, nearby public roads were closed, access to nearby public businesses was denied and the FBI's Tampa Field Office was shut down for about five hours.

READ: Florida woman strikes man in MAGA hat at a Largo park before battering an officer: Documents

No explosives were found in the backpack, officials said.

Dig deeper:

While first responders were at the scene, Goodman posted a short video from nearby that showed multiple emergency vehicles in the background, according to prosecutors.

In the video, Goodman said, "see all the way down that street right there? Guess that’s cause of me. (inaudible) I uh the FBI office right down the road there. Look at that sh**. That’s crazy, huh? Wrote a few notes. Found a bag..." and "they got the SWAT team. They got the look like they got a bomb squad or something going on there."

What's next:

If Goodman is convicted, prosecutors said he could face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: