Stop Clowning Around: Silly Threats Bring Real Life Legal Consequences, Police Warn

One day after a 13-year-old girl was charged with making clown-related threats through social media to her classmates over the weekend, police are warning offenders to stop clowning around.

“It’s a form of cyber-harassment,” Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton said in a statement. “In Gloucester County, two juveniles have been charged in Washington Township with this offense and there have been reports in other municipalities of attempts to frighten children with unfounded alerts that someone in a clown suit and mask is after them.”

Dalton says the “creepy clown” threats may seem like innocent fun, but there can be harmful legal consequences in real life.

Parents need to make their children aware of that, and adults shouldn’t participate in the hobby that has taken over idle minds across the country, Dalton said.

He warns that anyone under 18 convicted of causing a false public alarm faces a six-month suspension of driving privileges and other possible penalties.

An adult convicted of the same crime is subject to 5-10 years in prison if a serious injury occurs.

Those who have engaged in the recent threats are also considered to be making false reports to law enforcement and making communications to harass.

“Diverting law enforcement personnel to chasing down rumors is costly financially, and can also distance officers from real emergencies,” Dalton said. “School lockdowns have occurred because of false reports of clown threats, meaning that classroom instruction is disrupted for hours or longer.”

RELATED: More Creepy Clown Sightings In NJ, And They're Getting Creepier

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