GAITHERSBURG, Md. — A Maryland teen is facing criminal charges for allegedly helping make false bomb threats toward his high school earlier this year.
On Monday, police announced the arrest of a 15-year-old Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School student in connection with bomb threats made against the school on May 16. This prompted a schoolwide lockdown. SWAT, K-9 units, and officers from all over the county were deployed to Bethesda-Chevy Chase to search the campus. After hours of searching, officials determined there were no bombs located on campus.
After a four-month investigation, officials with Montgomery County Police and the FBI's Baltimore Field Office were able to track down the caller to Pennsylvania. Police say the 15-year-old solicited help on his social media account to have the threats called in and was connected with a 12-year-old boy.
According to investigators, the two paired up and made multiple bomb threats to Walt Whitman High School and Bethesda Elementary School the following day as well.
The Maryland teen communicated with the 12-year-old, according to police, to coach him in what to say and provided him updates and information as the threats were being made.
During the calls made to the schools, police say the Pennsylvania boy demanded money to avoid having the fake bombs detonated.
Now, the Maryland teen is being charged with multiple counts of threats of violence, making a false statement, extortion, and other felony charges. Under Maryland law, the Pennsylvania boy can not be charged due to his age.
The Maryland teen has since been released back to his family.
