A Vicksburg man accused of telephoning a bomb threat to River Region Medical Center and minutes later robbing a drug store of Schedule II narcotics Tuesday evening is facing multiple criminal charges from city and county authorities.

Stanley Hearon, 55, 115 Ridgelawn Drive, was arrested by Vicksburg police at 6:44 p.m. in a wooded area behind Battlefield Discount Drugs, and deputies believe he set a fire in a restroom trash can at the hospital and made the bomb threat less than an hour earlier.

No injuries were reported at the hospital on U.S. 61 North or the store, 3040 Indiana Ave., said Sheriff Martin Pace and Vicksburg police Sgt. Sandra Williams.

“It appears that the fire and the bomb threat at River Region were intended to be a diversion from the robbery at Battlefield Drug Store,” said Pace. “We have uncovered nothing to indicate any actual ill-will toward the medical facility.”

The hospital operator notified an E-911 dispatcher of the bomb threat at 6:10 p.m., the sheriff said. About 12 deputies responded and were on the scene in about 2 minutes, discovering when they arrived that a fire had been set in a first-floor restroom, which hospital staff had extinguished, he said.

Hospital administrative staff, working with deputies and reviewing surveillance video, did not order the hospital’s evacuation, said Pace.

“Very early on, in the first few minutes after we arrived at the hospital, we identified the individual we felt certain was responsible for the trash can fire, and we were able to determine that the area he had access to was very limited,” Pace said. “We felt certain the person was the same man who had called in the threat,” said the sheriff, citing security protocols in not releasing specifics.

About 6:30 p.m., while the investigation was underway at the hospital, 911 was notified that a gunman was robbing Battlefield.

Four employees on duty were herded to the back of the store and the pharmacist was robbed of Schedule II narcotics before the gunman fled, said police Lt. Bobby Stewart.

Police searched the area between the store, a nearby motel and a self-storage facility, all near Indiana Avenue’s intersection with North Frontage Road, Stewart said.

Minutes after arresting Hearon, police recovered the gun and the drugs — two bottles of Dilaudid and two bottles of Meperidine, said the lieutenant. Both drugs, which Stewart said Hearon asked for by name, are used to relieve moderate to severe pain.

This morning, River Region spokesman Allen Karel reiterated the quick response of deputies.

“Inspections were made and it was determined that there were no explosive devices present in the facility,” Karel said. “At no time was the safety of our patients, visitors or staff compromised, and we would like to thank the Warren County Sheriff’s Office for their prompt and professional action.”

Hearon has been charged by police with armed robbery, possession of Schedule II drugs and kidnapping. The latter charge comes from the pharmacist’s being held at gunpoint until she gave him the medications, Stewart said. He was to have an initial hearing this morning in Municipal Court.

The county has charged Hearon with false reporting of an explosive device and arson, and an initial hearing in Justice Court was planned for early this afternoon, said Pace.

Hearon is an employee of Falco Lime, said the lieutenant, and has no prior record with the Vicksburg police. He had two arrests in the 1970s in Warren County, records showed.

A spokesman with Falco Lime did not return a call this morning.