18-year-old charged with 12 counts of terroristic threats
MANUEL GAMIZ JR.
The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.
Updated: 06-6-2011 12:43 pm
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June 02--An 18-year-old Liberty High School student was arrested and charged with posting threats on Facebook about killing the Bethlehem Area School Board and taking over the school, police said.
Justin Rey Ramirez of 2007 Mary St., Bethlehem was charged Tuesday with 12 counts of terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another.
He was sent to Northampton County Prison under $200,000 bail.
Lt. Mark DiLuzio said Ramirez allegedly posted comments on Facebook talking about a school uprising, killing the school board and taking over the school. The comments were posted last week, and Ramirez was arrested Tuesday at the school, DiLuzio said.
DiLuzio said no weapons were found on Ramirez or at his home.
Bethlehem Superintendent Joseph Roy said Ramirez's threats were posted during a conversation string in which various students were having a serious discussion about the impact of budget cuts on education. The conversation, Roy said, included students trying to start a petition to fight the cuts and invoking the protest movement of the 1960s. The conversation was encouraging, he said, because it showed students had a vested interest in the district's finances and understood the link between state funding cuts and the district's budget.
"It was nice to see kids talking about getting a petition together and how to protest," Roy said.
Then Ramirez stepped over the line by making clear threats to schools and board members, Roy said, adding other students balked at Ramirez's suggestion to use violence. A teacher saw Ramirez's posts and told Liberty administrators, who investigated and contacted police.
Roy said since police did not find weapons, he does not view Ramirez's threats as evidence that an attack was planned.
"Whether he was trying to show off or trying to be extreme, I don't know," Roy said. "I can't read into that."
Had Ramirez stuck to vague threats like "let's overthrow the school," Roy said, his comments would not have been viewed as seriously. But once he made reference to specific weapons and targets, his threats were higher.
"You have to evaluate threats seriously," Roy said. "Clearly he made threats."
$500K bail for Calif. teacher arrested twice in 1 week
Teacher accused of storing an explosive material in her classroom
By The Associated Press
Updated: 05-27-2011 8:32 am
LIVINGSTON, Calif.
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Bail for a Central California chemistry teacher accused of storing an explosive material in her classroom has been set at $500,000.
Japhia Huhndorf was arrested Wednesday at her Atwater home on suspicion of possessing explosive materials, the second time she was taken into custody in a week. Her bail was set Wednesday.
The 34-year-old Livingston High School teacher was booked Monday on suspicion of child endangerment for allegedly helping students ingest chloroform.
During the investigation of that case, police say they discovered that Huhndorf was storing 4 milliliters of nitroglycerine, an active ingredient for making explosives. She did not tell investigators why she had it in her classroom.
Merced County prosecutors say they have not yet filed charges against Huhndorf.
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