A defendant was charged on Tuesday with making a false bomb threat at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center last week that caused the evacuation of the building’s third floor, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has announced.

John Edward Watson, of North Hollywood, was charged with one count each of false report of a bomb to agency or business and malicious informing of false bomb.

Watson appeared for arraignment on Tuesday in Department 30 but did not enter a plea. He was ordered to return on Oct. 21 for a subsequent arraignment hearing.

Prosecutors said Watson walked into Department 32 in the courthouse on Sept. 26, carrying a small box. He placed the box next to him and stood up and said there was a bomb that was going to blow up, prosecutors added.

More than 30 people were evacuated from the courtroom and the entire floor was cleared as a precaution. Authorities later determined there were no explosives inside the box.

If convicted as charged, Watson faces up to seven years in state prison. The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.