Heber City » John McHugh, 47, was bound over Monday to stand trial for a March 27 bomb threat that caused the evacuation of eight Wasatch County schools, affecting 4,600 students and 500 staff members.

Fourth District Judge Gary Stott ordered McHugh to return to court Dec. 17 to enter a plea to a second-degree felony charge of "making a terrorist threat."

Defense attorney Edward Flint said his client will plead not guilty. He also said McHugh would move for a change of venue.

On the witness stand Monday, Heber police Sgt. Jason Bradley testified authorities traced the 12:07 p.m. bomb threat to McHugh's cell phone.

Bradley also read into the court record a police statement from McHugh's former girlfriend, Tammy Baker, saying McHugh told her he had made the call but "it was just a joke."

Bradley read a second statement from Baker's daughter, Brandi, saying McHugh had also told her he made the call: "John came up to me and said, 'If I tell you a secret, do you promise not tell anyone? That [bomb threat call] was me.' "

The caller told Wasatch school's receptionist Lori Magnusson that a bomb would detonate at 2 p.m. But because the caller did not say where it was planted, district officials closed all eight of its schools and its administration building.

On cross-examination, Wasatch County Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Hails said McHugh told investigators he often lent out his cell phone.

"He said he didn't make the call," Hails said. "But that he was responsible for his phone."

McHugh, who is originally from Louisiana, has a considerable Southern accent, Hails said under questioning.

But Lori Magnusson, the receptionist who took the bomb threat, could not identify McHugh's voice from a police recording, Hails testified.

She earlier had testified that the caller had no discernible accent.

Csmart@sltrib.com