DATE: December 10, 2018    
CONTACT:
Diane Richardson
Media Relations Office
(301) 609-6557 or (240) 682-1658

On December 7 at approximately 6 a.m., a Charles County Sheriff’s school resource officer was notified of a social media post containing a threat to North Point High School later that day. Officers were able to quickly identify the person who posted the message and made contact with him and a parent. The suspect, a 16-year-old male, indicated the post was a joke. He was charged with making threats of mass violence and school disturbance. The Charles County Sheriff’s Office works closely with Charles County Public Schools to help keep schools safe and secure. Through the SRO program, sworn police officers work with the school administrative staff on a daily basis to enhance safety at schools. The CCSO has been working with Charles County Public Schools and administrators to remind students about the dangers of making threats, the disruption they cause and the consequences for anyone identified as having posted a threat to the safety of a school or community. As a reminder, parents are asked to talk with their children about the implications of making threats and encourage them to report information immediately.

According to Md. CRIMINAL LAW Code Ann. § 3-1001, making threats of mass violence can result in the following penalties upon conviction: Imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both. Additionally, a court can order a person to reimburse the appropriate unit of federal, state, or local government or other person for expenses and losses incurred in responding to the unlawful threat.

Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com or by using the P3Intel mobile app, which can be found in the Android Store and Apple store by searching P3tips. For more information about the P3 program, click on this link: www.p3intel.com. 

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency comprised of more than 600 police, corrections and civilian personnel responsible for protecting more than 150,000 residents. The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2001 has been designated as a CALEA Gold Standard of Excellence agency since 2011. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.

 

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