Utah man accused of marathon bomb threat to stand trial

A 59-year-old man accused of making threats to plant bombs at the finish line of the Salt lake City Marathon less than a week after the Boston Marathon bombing was ordered Tuesday to stand trial.

George Hodgson Zinn faces one count of making terrorist threats — a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in state prison.

Zinn, who is accused of sending an email on April 19 to SLC Marathon Marketing group "requesting to help place bombs" at the marathon's finish line, declined Tuesday to hear the evidence against him at a preliminary hearing.

Third District Judge Katie Bernards-Goodman bound the case over, ordering Zinn to stand trial.

Zinn, who remains behind bars in lieu of $100,000 bail, has a criminal record dating back to 1989 and includes dozens of convictions for petty crimes such as criminal trespass, theft of services, interfering with a police officer and disturbing the peace.

Court documents indicate Zinn may have a history of mental illness, and his attorneys are attempting to get him accepted into mental health court.

Less than two weeks after his arrest, Zinn sent a letter of apology to the marathon organizers. In an email, he called his initial correspondence a "flippant and irresponsible comment," which he now says he regrets.

"When the nation is so vulnerable and so edgy, it was entirely out of line to forward that comment to you," Zinn writes, referring to the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings. "I want you to be assured that I have no terrorist or criminal tendencies toward your program or toward the citizens of Salt Lake City in any way."

mlang@sltrib.com

Twitter: @Marissa_Jae