Teens Face Terrorism Charges in Bomb Threats

» Get Patch’s daily newsletter and real-time news alerts.

By Beth Dalbey and Liz Taurasi

Two teens, a 16-year-old from the Belmont area and a 15-year-old from Wilmington, MA, face terror charges for their alleged roles in making more than 20 bomb and death threats against a western Michigan high school.

Neither teen has been identified. The terrorism charges are felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison, MLive.com reports.

In a news conference Thursday, Kent County Undersheriff Michelle Young said the teens’ actions caused “great anguish” to students and staff at Rockford Public Schools, the target of the bomb threats and swatting incidents that began in October, and cost school and law enforcement agencies significant resources.

Sheriff’s investigators estimate their response costs at $100,000, and school officials estimated they spent $13,000. Kent County prosecutors say they plan to seek restitution from the teens’ families.

Young said at the news conference the sheriff’s department has devoted more than 2,500 investigative hours to the threats, WOOD-TV reports.

“There is a substantial amount of investigative effort that has to go in to bring a case like this to fruition, and honestly when it’s a one or two or less-frequent type of threat, often agencies aren’t able to dedicate this type of investigation to it,” Young said. “However this became quickly apparent that they were going to continue to terrorize Rockford Public Schools.”

Law enforcement officials in Michigan told WHDH-TV in Massachusetts the arrest followed a nationwide investigation that revealed the teens connected in an online gaming room and allegedly conspired with the group to deliver the threats.

One would script the threat, another would pick the school while a third would make the phone call, investigators said. Others may be charged, but investigators did not elaborate because the probe is ongoing.

The FBI assisted local and state authorities in the cyber investigation. The Massachusetts television station said there are unsolved school threats in that state, but it’s unclear if they are related to the threats in Michigan.

The Belmont teen was suspended from high school on May 18. Rockford School Superintendent Michael Shibler told MLive.com that he will recommend explusion to the school board.

Shibler said there were no “red flags” to indicate the teen, a sophomore at the high school, might be behind the bomb threats. He had no prior disciplinary record, the superintendent said.

“His behavior along with the people he collaborated with has cost thousands of students, parents and community members to be put under a stressful situation that’s been disruptive,” Shibler said. “He made a bad choice, and the consequences are going to be severe.”

_______

Photo via Shutterstock