A prisoner incarcerated in the Cumberland County Jail on arson charges allegedly called the Portland Press Herald on Wednesday to make a bomb threat against the jail.
At approximately 2:15 p.m., the Cumberland County Jail received notice from the Portland Police Department of a bomb threat made against the facility.
According to police, they were notified of the threat by the Portland Press Herald, which allegedly received a call informing them of the threat.
Cumberland County Jail Lieutenants instituted security protocols and other precautions.
Within eight minutes of receiving the report, prison staff determined that the caller was allegedly an inmate currently incarcerated.
They identified the caller as Benjamin Steven Tinker, who has been incarcerated since August 2025 on charges of arson, criminal threatening with a deadly weapon, and criminal mischief.
The sheriff’s department is currently investigating.
Strangely, Tinker does not currently appear on the jail’s page showing current inmates.
