A Lawrence man accused of placing threats to school districts and municipal offices in Douglas County nearly a month ago will be prosecuted in federal court.

A grand jury returned an indictment Wednesday that charges Michael E. Parker, 46, with two counts of using a cell phone to make threats of destroying schools and city halls, or at least using a cell phone to communicate false information about a threat to do the same.

In Parker’s case, Jim Cross, spokesman for U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren, said the charges have the same possible punishments.

“In both counts, he’s either making a threat or providing false information about a threat,” he said. “For legal purposes, in terms of these charges, it amounts to the same thing.”

Parker remains in Douglas County Jail after his arrest April 19, the day authorities believe he called dispatchers with a nonspecific threat that targeted schools and city halls in Douglas County.

Those threats caused local schools and municipal offices to take extra security precautions; thousands of students went home early for the day once news of the threat circulated.

The threats also came the same week of a deadly shooting incident on the Virginia Tech campus where 33 people died.

The Douglas County District Attorney’s Office originally charged Parker with three counts of aggravated criminal threat.

Charles Branson, district attorney, said federal prosecutors contacted him to discuss the possibility of bringing Parker up on federal charges, which carry heavier penalties.

“We thought it was appropriate to seek the venue that provided the highest penalties,” Branson said.

Parker faces up to 10 years in federal prison and $10,000 in fines for each count, significantly higher penalties than the 18 months of probation he faced on the state charges.

Branson said the state charges against Parker will be dismissed while federal prosecutors handle his case.

Cross said federal charges were possible because Parker was accused of using a cell phone, which federal prosecutors call a “instrument of commerce,” to place the threats.

Parker remains in jail on $30,000 bond.

The same grand jury also indicted Joshua Leigh Jones, 23 of Topeka, of robbing the Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Store, 721 Wakarusa Drive, on April 13.

Jones, who was accused of entering the Baskin Robbins with a hand gun and demanding money, faces 20 years in federal prison and up to $250,000 in fines.