A former Air Force staff sergeant has been sentenced to two years’ confinement, reduction in rank to airman and a bad-conduct discharge for making several bomb threats at Lajes Field, Azores, in an effort to cover up a petty theft.

Arthur Miller, a 14-year veteran of the Navy and Air Force, pleaded guilty to several charges on April 28 and was sentenced the following day, a U.S. Air Forces Europe press release stated. He was convicted of larceny, two obstruction of justice charges and a bomb hoax charge, said Capt. Keira Poellet, one of the two prosecuting attorneys in the case.

He faced up to 30½ years confinement, reduction in rank to E-1 and a dishonorable discharge, Poellet said. He will serve his confinement at the Air Force facility in Charleston, S.C.

Miller, who was with the 65th Logistics Readiness Squadron, stole $150 from a snack fund in December 2007 and made a bomb threat less than two weeks later to Building T-216 in an effort to cover it up, according to the Air Force.

A school and child development center were evacuated. Miller also threatened to place bombs in buildings T-100, T-216 and T-815 more than a month later, officials said.

"The two obstruction of justice charges were for communicating the threats. Everything was to throw off the investigations," Poellet said.

Miller specifically targeted the building where he worked and buildings with "high traffic" with the hopes of keeping the limelight off of the theft, Poellet said. He used a screwdriver to break into the locked drawer where the money was kept.

Miller’s motive for the theft was apparently to get back at his supervisor, Master Sgt. David Guthrie, whom he felt bullied by, the Air Force release indicated. Another noncommissioned officer had offered him a chance to return the money anonymously, it said.