Powell Butte Charter School seventh-grade boy arrested after 2nd day of violent phone threats
Faces disorderly conduct charge; 'no further threat,' undersheriff says
POWELL BUTTE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A second straight day of phone messages threatening staff and students at Powell Butte Community Charter School Thursday led Crook County Sheriff’s Office investigators to a seventh-grade boy who was arrested, officials said.
The school canceled classes Wednesday and the campus was searched after several threats were left by voicemail on the school’s phone system, bringing deputies to the campus around 5:15 a.m., Undersheriff James Savage said.
Deputies and school staff searched the building and the Powell Butte Christian Church next door, but nothing suspicious was found. Deputies stayed at the school for the rest of the day, while the source of the threat was investigated.
More messages were received Thursday on the school’s phone system, which led deputies to contact the seventh-grader as classes resumed in the morning, Savage said.
The boy was searched, he said, and no weapons or devices were found. However, enough evidence was obtained that the student was arrested on a first-degree disorderly conduct charge for placing the threats to the school.
Savage said deputies also went to the student’s home in Powell Butte and found evidence connecting the boy to the school threats.
The juvenile was taken to the Deschutes County Juvenile Detention facility, where the Crook County Juvenile Department contracts for juvenile crimes.
“There is no further threat to the public or school resulting from the threat,” Savage said in a news release late Thursday.
The Crook County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the county juvenile department and district attorney’s offices, the Prineville Police Department, Crook County School District and the FBI, the undersheriff said.
Crook County School District Communications Director Jason Carr said they cannot provide any specifics about the juvenile but that "no process from the school or district has been initiated" as of yet.
