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Past Due Customer Threatens To Blow Up Gulf Power
August 9, 2013
A woman is charged with threatening to blow up a Gulf Power building after learning her power was going to be disconnected for non-payment.
Natasha Eillen White, 31, was charged with threatening to discharged a destructive device, a second degree felony. She was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail with bond set at $15,000.
Investigators said White contacted Gulf Power to discuss a bill that was two months overdue and learned that her power was going to be disconnected. During the conversation, she made a threat to “blow up” a Gulf Power building, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators were able to trace the call and identify White as the suspect.
Comments
47 Responses to “Past Due Customer Threatens To Blow Up Gulf Power”
I have made many similar comments in frustration. But I would never act on them. People should not be arrested for what they say, only for what they do. She was obvious frustrated.
REGARDING:
“Can we really base her character NOW on what she did at age 22?”
Nope.
In fact the fact that she seems to have been clean since then implied she changed her ways.
This may be a temporary setback to the way of thinking she had back then, assuming she hasn’t been threatening others who simply didn’t report it out of fear or pity.
“I’m not the same person anymore.”
You are what you do.
You do what you are.
If you do bad things, you are a bad person.
If you stop doing bad things, you stop being a bad person.
If you go back to doing bad things,…..
“To me, it sounds a whole lot like Natasha was being a bully. “you do this… or else!”. Why should anyone have to put up with that?”
It does seem to read that way and nobody should have to put up with that.
I congratulate Gulf Power for standing up for their workers.
David for safe workplaces
@david – I like that you pointed out when her last conviction was (2006)…and 2004 was the date of the cocaine conviction. Can we really base her character NOW on what she did at age 22? I made a lot of decisions/mistakes at 22 (didnt get caught)….and i’m not the same person anymore. On the other hand…I’ve never threatened to blow someone up. :-/
I have, however, been 2 months late on my electricity bill. I have 2 kids, i work a 40hr job, I live paycheck to paycheck. I have empathy for people because i’ve been in that situation. I called the power company, made arrangements to pay 1 months bill on Friday (payday) and they did NOT cut my power off. So, the fact that they would not “work with her” poses the question(s): had she already called and gotten an extension? was she not offering to pay the “past due” balance on her next payday? does she have a “pay day” to speak of?
To me, it sounds a whole lot like Natasha was being a bully. “you do this… or else!”. Why should anyone have to put up with that?
REGARDING:
@David, Except her intent or THE REASON she called Gulf Power was to make payment arrangements.”
True, and that was fine as long as she was just doing that.
The problem came in when she resorted to extortion to force them to make arrangements acceptable to her.
Reportedly she threatened to kill the people working there unless they yielded..
Sure, we mostly figure she was lying when she threatened to kill all of them unless they let her keep using electricity without paying for it.
She probably WAS lying.
She probably didn’t intend to kill akk those people just doing their jobs,
probably didn’t know HOW to kill them with explosives,
would probably have calmed down ere she killed all of them anyway.
I just don’t see where people minding their own business should HAVE to worry about whether or not the person threatening to kill them really meant it and would do it.
AND
“You can’t be concerned about the priorities you mention if you aren’t willing to see the context of the information.”
Enlighten me.
How are my priorities off when I am concerned with the people being threatened more than the lady threatening them?
AND
“Hopefully if this goes to trial a recording of the conversation will be available and be made public.”
Yes, that would be good.
If it turns out she wasn’t really practicing extortion, the jury will surely go lightly on her when it goes to trial in a few months or years.
David for leniency
@David, Except her intent or THE REASON she called Gulf Power was to make payment arrangements.
You can’t be concerned about the priorities you mention if you aren’t willing to see the context of the information.
Hopefully if this goes to trial a recording of the conversation will be available and be made public.
REGARDING:
“Henry YOU are RUDE AND HEARTLESS!!!!”
Yes, shame on you Henry for not being more sympathetic to this dear lady who threatened to kill everybody working in that building. You should have waited until she killed them all then maybe it is still rude to say she was bad.
(come on folks, have you no priorities? a threat to kill is a threat to kill)
David for better priorities
Henry YOU are RUDE AND HEARTLESS!!!! Nothing in this says she doesn’t work. People have hard times and at times come to the end of there rope pretty fast many of us are not born with a silver spoon in our mouths….she simply needs help or more time. yes she made a mistake I am sure that you yes you YOURSELF has said a thing or two in your time that did not need to be said but were upset and said just like this lady.So she messed up out of frustration. I myself have said things that shouldnt have been said and was out of work for sometime and am playing catchup..it is hard and when we as people human beings with a heart can’t step up and help people it is sad…..NEITHER YOU NOR MYSELF KNOW HER SITUATION…I HAVE THREE KIDS AND AN 8MO OLD LIVING WITH ME AND AM BEHIND…BUT WOULD HELP ANYONE THAT NEEDS HELP ……..Get a heart ppl.
Yes she made a mistake. Yes she said something she shouldn’t have. Has anybody else been upset and let some things fly out your mouth that shouldn’t have. I would understand if she called and said hey I’m gonna blow up the building but this was said out of frustration that built up over a conversation.
Simmer down GP simmer down.
My comment for @ Henry was for @Henry Coe. Mr Henry sorry for the mix up. Will start paying closer attention names on comments.
@ Henry
Yea she called GP to make arrangements for payment by threating to blow up the place. If she was two months behind she should have called when she couldn’t pay the first months bill. Henry you can call GP and have them add extra money to you bill to help people like her it’s just a phone call away. Have a friend who was going to have power cut off had a check in my hand to give her for $348.00 to pay it till she stated she had to go as she was meeting another friend to head off to Windcreek Casino. Tore up check and to this day I do not feel sorry for them when power is cut off. Priorities all messed up.
@Henry, There is nothing about this story that suggest this woman is lazy. The fact she called Gulf Power to make payment arrangements before her power had been cut, shows that she is trying to keep up with her bills.
I really don’t mind if some small amount of my tax dollars goes to help people with their power bill in June, July and August.
Using this woman and her situation as a political football for other problems in American is shameful, not to mention it is also ignorant.
This woman screwed up in what she said by making a threat, but I’m sure being told her power was going to be cut in August when the heat index (feels like) stays between 110 and 120 degrees, that she perceived that as a threat. For someone maybe living with her, not having A/C could be life threatening. People die every year from exposure to heat.
I think everyone would be better served if cooler minds prevailed and the DA’s office decides to not prosecute this case.
1st off: #1She made a threat!! GP didn’t know her from Adam!! #2 YOU make a threat you get jail time THE LAW!! #3 Electricity is a luxery #4 I’m not paying her bill nor should the government!, Get off your butt & get your priorities straight!! Enough of my tax paying $$ getting taken out of my paycheck & going to people that are lazy!!
I wanta say one thing in her defensse… some of us don’t have a $20 an hour job or some sugar daddy to take care of us. It is very stressful trying to make something out of nothing. I will pray that things get better for you girl. You gotta calm that desperate temper… I know, I have one too…. Ask the Lord to walk with and guide you … give him your worries … trust in him and he will always take you to the place you need to be to find a way to do what needs to be done. thank him daily for what you do have. As you can see Hun, it can always get worse. Hang in there. And for you law abiding citiains … hahaha, do you really think she would or could have done it… I know the LAW IS THE LAW…. tell me ’bout it when you ain’t got nothing friend.
REGARDING:
“Thanks! I did not see that blog – missed it while reading somehow.”
Not so much a blog as a public record kept by the Clerk of the court. To find such records go to:
http://www.escambiaclerk.com/xml/xml_web_1a.asp
Enter the last and first name, then hit Search.
In this case it will take you to:
http://www.escambiaclerk.com/xml/xml_searchbm.asp?ulname=White&ufname=Natasha&ucasetype2=&ucase=&ucit=&ufromdate=&daterange=0&ucasetype=&uagencynbr=&uagencytype=
Sometimes there are several different people with the same name. Make sure the names listed are for the individual in question. (For example, there are several David Greens in the system but so far none of them is me.) A way to check is looking at the birthday, say 05/19/1982, and seeing if it matches the age listed, in this case 31 and it fits.
Then make sure the person was convicted, not just falsely accused. In the cocaine possession case for example, the Clerk of the Court records a conviction, same as it does for giving a false name to a law enforcement officer.
It’s good to keep the infraction dates in mind, for example if the most recent one on record was 2006, that means there haven’t been any charges in seven years so there is a good chance she has cleaned up her act other than the fact that she seems to now be threatening to blow up buildings and possibly kill the inhabitants. Maybe she is innocent but maybe she has backslidden. We shall see.
David for better people
It’s pretty easy to figure out you don’t pay the bills you don’t get the lights, it’s that simple. Pay the bills and these kinds of issues will never happen
@Mark,
Thanks! I did not see that blog – missed it while reading somehow. Then, I totally agree. I also think people who buy cigarettes and other items of this nature need to be cut off if overdue. $50 plus for a carton of cigarettes can EASILY reduce a power bill if applied in that manner!
Karen, she’s never been in trouble??? She has quite an arrest record! Look it up at Escambia County Clerk of Court! Making bomb threats is illegal! She got what she deserves!! As for her crying, I’m sure it’s for herself!
Bed in jail for bomb threat – No charge
Bond to get out of jail – $15,000
Getting your sad mugshot published – PRICELESS
If I recall correct, there were 2 threats made- 1 to the office in Milton and the following month to all the local offices. They caused the Milton office to shut down for the day & law enforcement to be called in to the offices as well. People do go through hard times, but they have to think before they say something. There are local agencies that can help.
@ no excuses
He was referring to “Give Me A Break’s” post who looked up her PUBLIC RECORD online at Escambia County Clerk of the Court.
Cocaine possession right there…
@ No Excuses…. Read Give Me Breaks post…. And just like your name ” No Excuses” Her being upset isn’t one.
A few of you seem to think this is GP’s fault. GP’s is just like any other company. They have a product to sell. If you want it, you have to buy it. If you can only afford a little bit, just use a little bit! It ain’t rocket science!
@ Workin’ Man,
Where in the article does it say she uses cocaine? Just curious. Personally, I think she made a mistake by making the threat. It’s illegal, but she was probably just upset. However, how you make a leap from that to cocaine use baffles me. I sometimes have trouble paying my power bill and I have a job and priorities. Does that mean I use cocaine too?
Yeah, you don’t have to prove ability to actually blow the joint up. The statute outlaws the threat alone.
790.162 Threat to throw, project, place, or discharge any destructive device, felony; penalty.—It is unlawful for any person to threaten to throw, project, place, or discharge any destructive device with intent to do bodily harm to any person or with intent to do damage to any property of any person, and any person convicted thereof commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
This should not be nolle prossed. If she gets locked up, the taxpayers will cover the power bill of her new home behind bars. That way she kind of gets what she wants anyway. Totally a win-win.
I don’t care if she has never been in trouble. She is in trouble now because of her careless threats.
I don’t care if she has kids. It isn’t a secret where babies come from or how to keep from having them.
Nobody wants to live in a world where people can get away without paying their bills just by threatening to blow the joint up.
I feel for her situation, but come on! You don’t make threats to get your point across even if you don’t mean them. Just like someone else said, in this day and age, you can’t trust that someone is just “blowing off steam”.
I’ve worked in customer service (in call centers) and have heard numerous threats, and believe me, if someone says they were going to blow up an office, etc, we contacted local 911 and gave them all of the customer’s contact information.
More than a few arrests for making “terroristic threats” were made.
I feel bad for her. I have been there. But you have to make sacrifices at one point we had no tv, no internet no extras but we kept our power and water. We don’t know her situation. I deal with people with water shut offs everyday and sometimes they get ugly and say things you know they don’t mean. We all need to remember times are really hard. You can thank our current administration for killing the job market!!
Well stated, Jake!!!
@GiveMeABreak….. She has money for cocaine and not for her power bill and Jane thinks a government agency should help her pay her bill ….. You can’t make this stuff up…
@ Jane: The reason electricity rates are increasing is due to the liberal voters that put liberal congressmen and a liberal president in office that are imposing taxes on coal, natural gas, and all natural resources that we have excess of. Your liberal posse has created this haven of burden to the lower and middle class of Americans to inflict socialistic control over the voice of the people. Power companies are regulated by governing authorities as to how much profit they can receive. Power company profits have not been increasing. What has been increasing is the taxation of the resources it takes to create the power that we all enjoy as a privilege to have in our homes. Auto companies can’t GIVE away all their cars. Grocery stores can’t GIVE away all their food. Clothing stores can’t GIVE away all their clothes. If they did, they would not have the resources to buy the materials they need to produce any further. What a CRAZY idea that power companies can GIVE away power. Who’s going to pay for producing the power???
@ Seriously: You are exactly right. She is a perfect example of what is wrong with this country, today. Air conditioning is a luxury. It is very nice to have – but not necessary. We didn’t have an air conditioner (even in school), until we were grown. She should “Suck it up” and pay her own way…….. Do the crime – do the time!
@ Jane: Gulf power will work with anyone who has a problem with paying their bill. When you talk with GP and agree to a payment plan you must abide by that agreement. She got mad because she had to pay. If you have someone that has a medical problem GP will not cut power they will work with you. AC is not a medical requirement but nice to have. All you individuals that feel sorry for her call Gulf Power and have her bill placed on your account and she won’t ever have to worry about another power bill again it’s just a phone call away. When you do please post so we can thank you and while you are adding her to you account add me also. I hate paying my bill also but I like my thermostat at 73. GP told me to crank my thermostat to 78 to save a fwe bucks but I declined that offer so I have to pay.
There are government assistance programs for people who are disabled or who need help with paying bills for this very reason. If you can not work and provide a way to pay for your utilities, then you can get help.
If you do not qualify for them… guess what? You are like everyone else, including myself, who has to pay for their bills and work at a job every day to do so! Does it suck? Yes! But its called maturity… and when I get behind on my bills…the MATURE thing to do is to sit down and ask them how they can help me get caught back up without cutting off my power, (which I have actually done with GP when my daughter was sick and I was out of work… and the are VERY helpful), instead of threatening to BLOW UP A BUILDING! Threatening lives of other people’s mothers, wives, daughters, sons…. its bullcrap that anyone would pity someone that decided to handle something in such a idiotic way!
Give. Me. A. Break.
@Jane. FYI, Gulf Power does not and cannot raise rates as they please. In order to raise their rates, they must petition the Public Service Commission which in turn must approve the rate hike.
Also if someone in the home died of heat stroke, it certainly would not be Gulf Powers fault. The fault would lie squarely on the shoulders of the occupant who did not pay their bill. While that would be a tragedy, the fault would still lie with the occupant who did not pay their bill.
If you use a service that is provided, you must be willing to pay or serve the consequences. How long is Gulf Power supposed to let an overdue bill ride, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months? Where does it end?
Ok you would die after an extended period without food and would die faster without clean water, those two facts have never changed over the course of human existence. But electricity??? While yes, it is very hot in the summer power for you AC is not a necessity for sustaining life. There are plenty of hard WORKING men and women who work outside in this heat every day. So if you have limited funds my suggestion is prioritize maybe cut back on or turn off the AC so you can say run your refrigerator and cook. I’m a young person and been raised with the huge luxury of AC in Florida summers but my parents and grandparents remember when people did not have them and it seems they survived and have probably done better than most of our pampered generation has. I feel for this woman in that she was never taught the wherewithal and fortitude to budget and make necessary creature comfort cuts within that budget. Bottom line no body owes you anything in this world, however you are blessed that as of today we still live in a country that if you aren’t to prideful you can find a job and survive.
@Karen
You really think you can tell by a picture that someone has never in trouble before? You obviously did not check public records…the one that really stands out is “possession of cocaine” …she needs to get a job and pay her bills.
Wake up people — do you really want threats to be ignored ? THREATENING TO BLOW UP SOMETHING IS AGAINST THE LAW— You would be the first screaming “why didn’t they do something” if in fact a bomb threat was carried out and it was found out that a threat had been ignored! I can’t believe the people actually want to make is Gulf Power’s fault….to a very large degree, the consumer controls his own power bill.
She acts so sad and in distress in her mugshot….but I guarantee she was throwing stuff and turning red while on the phone ….she did what she did and deserves to pay the price or do the time…no one should give her pitty……thats what she wants but doesnt deserve……she didnt pay her bill and she threatened gulf power…..so if she wanted to pay her bill etc. she wouldnt be in the position she is in now!!
Jane…………..The power company is regulated by a Government agency they cant impose a rate hike without their permission.Gulf power has always worked with people on THEIR power bill.They called her before shutting her power off BECAUSE it is so HOT the power company is not the bad guy here.Need to do your research before commenting… JUST SAYING!!!!!!
@Karen This day and age you really can’t take that kind of stuff lightly… there are just too many crazy people in the world. What if she had been serious!? How many people would have died had she been serious! How many mothers and sisters and fathers etc!
Gulf Power allows their customers to do payment plans if they don’t have the money to pay the bill. But, they have to have been in good standing previously. Unfortunately, they are a business. They have to collect from their customers or they will go out of business. Same with every other power company or else NO one would have power.
Well Hooray for you Gulf Power and SRSO. This really ups your image to the people. I understand SO has a job to do, but Really?! And GP, Shame on You!
@ Jane…. Yeah, all we need is another government hand out, make the guy who does right by getting up every morning and being PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY pay for it. PAY YOUR OWN WAY!!!!!!!!!!! Electricity is a luxury, if you use it you have to pay for it, nobody else!!!
This is somehow gulf powers fault? Pay your bills people. the only “assistance” she needs would be a Calender. Circle the 1, that’s when power is due. I guarantee she drives a nicer car than me, and probably eats better than me.but i have never been late on power..its all about priorities…
I feel for her. But you cant threaten people. She knew the bill wasnt paid. Dont blame the power co. You use it, you gotta pay for it.
I guess you don’t have to prove intent not eat ability to carry out the specific threat. This will be nolle prossed… Waste of taxpayer dollars.
Since there is no competition here for Gulf Power they charge and raise rates as they please. The people who can’t pay get disconnected and suffer. What if someone in this home died from heat stroke…whose fault would that be? When I first got here an elderly woman died from heat stroke because it was 101 degrees and they had turned off her power. All she had was a fan and it would not work with no electricity. I think if someone has a medical condition or is elderly they should not be allowed to shut off the power. Isn’t there some government agency to help? They hand out everything else…….
Had she paid her bill her utilities wouldn’t need to be disconnected. There are a lot of people who have misguided priorities. I wonder if she had cable TV, a mobile phone, pets to care for, etc. If any of these conditions existed then she electricity for her children’s A/C wasn’t put as priority #1.
Now bail on top of past due and current payments plus a reconnect fee. Poor lady must feel hopeless. Hopefully this story will generate some assistance for her. Wish I had the money to pay it forward her way. God bless her.
are you serious they had her arrested for that yea sometimes we say things when it comes to having children in your home and not being able to pay your bills and as hot as it is I can see girl saying I will blow y’all up if you cut my lights off in a panick of knowing how hot it is outside come on Gulf power are you serious? That is so ridiculous……….Look at her crying in her pic she’s never been in trouble that’s shameful that they called the police they know they get angry people all the time heck they charge us an arm an a leg