Woman Arrested For Coughing On Food In Grocery, Charged With Multiple Terrorism Counts

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A woman is facing terror-related charges after allegedly coughing on $35,000 worth of produce at a Pennsylvania grocery store in what the storeowner called a “twisted prank” amid heightened fear of the novel coronavirus.

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“I have the virus. Now everyone is going to get sick,” the woman said, according to the complaint.

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Margaret Ann Cirko, 35, is facing charges of criminal mischief damaging property, disorderly conduct hazardous/physical offence, retail theft, terroristic threats causing the evacuation of a building, terrorist threats causing serious public inconvenience and bomb threats, according to court documents.

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The grocery store ultimately threw out an estimated US$35,000 worth of produce, meat, bread and other groceries as a result of the incident.

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Fasula says he doesn’t think the woman has the virus, but he’s been told that police will try to get her tested. He says he’s working with health officials to clean every part of the store where the woman was seen coughing. “While it is always a shame when food is wasted, in these times when so many people are worried about the security of our food supply, it is even more disturbing,” he said. Cirko’s bail has been set at $50,000.

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