MANSFIELD, Ohio — Three Richland County juveniles face felony charges after a series of bomb threats this week. All three students have denied the charges.
According to Richland County Prosecutor Bambi Couch Page, the juveniles could be charged with second- or third-degree felonies. Punishment could include a sentence to the Department of Youth Services until age 21.
Two 15-year-olds, one from Madison and the other from Clear Fork, and an 11-year-old Malabar student face charges of terroristic threats and inducing panic.
However, the prosecutor said it’s unlikely the youngsters will receive maximum penalties. Other consequences could involve time in a detention center, completing community service, restitution, and/or counseling.
“There are still going to be consequences,” Couch Page said. “Unless they’ve been involved in the criminal justice system before, it’s unlikely that they will receive that maximum penalty. But that penalty is there and available.”
The incidents could impact the youngsters even further in their respective futures.
“There’s not a school or a college in America that would take a kid who has made terroristic threats against his classmates,” Cuyahoga County First Assistant Prosecutor Duane Deskins told Fox8 News in Cleveland.
Locally, the prosecutor’s office is in the process of evaluating the individual cases, all related to the bomb threats, made earlier this week.
“There are lots of different factors,” Couch Page said.
For instance, she said, the 11-year-old girl incarcerated Thursday night in relation to the Malabar Intermediate bomb threat is protected from the maximum penalty because of her age.
“That wasn’t something that anybody contemplated an 11-year-old doing. So we’re looking at her case and determining what [penalty] she’s eligible for,” Couch Page said.
As of Friday morning, all three students were detained at the Richland County Juvenile Court. Because they pleaded not guilty, the legal process could take a significant amount of time, she said.
“These are serious charges, so they are wanting to receive consultation from an attorney,” Couch Page said.
Although each individual is detained, Couch Page said they are still required to receive an education.
“These are not mere pranks. They induce fear and economic damage,” Couch Page said. “So they’re not just getting out of school and it’s hahaha. We look at each individual when it comes to punishment.”
