Arizona boy accused of making ISIS threats toward North Monterey County HS

An Arizona teen is facing charges for allegedly making a fake bomb threat toward North Monterey County High School in February and a “swatting” hoax that same week, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators said the 17-year-old suspect lives in Surprise, Arizona and Monterey County received help from the Secret Service, the FBI and law enforcement in Arizona to crack the case.

Two bomb threats were sent to North Monterey County High School on Feb. 5 and Feb. 6. Investigators said the email threat was addressed from a 17-year-old female victim in Monterey County, claiming to be a member of ISIS, the Islamic State group. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said that email allegedly came from the 17-year-old Arizona boy, not the 17-year-old girl.

The Sheriff’s Office said the email included threats stating kids at the school would be killed if $15,000 was not left at the school’s front gate. Students and faculty members were evacuated from the school, and all available patrol deputies responded to the scene, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Several units searched the school because it was reported that there was a person on campus with assault weapons and bombs, investigators said. The Sheriff’s Office said the threats created fear in the community, and several students didn’t return to school for several weeks. The school was closed on Feb. 9, for training to prepare for further threats, investigators said.

The Sheriff’s Office said that the same week threats were made toward the high school, the suspect made a “swatting” call, reporting a home invasion with a victim shot on Feb. 4. Swatting is when someone calls 911 to try to deploy a SWAT team to an unsuspecting victim’s home for a fake incident.

Investigators said the swatting call triggered an emergency response by the Sheriff’s Office with 10 units, fire and medical crews. They said the 17-year-old female victim identified the suspect by his voice, which was recorded when he called dispatch. The victim said she met the suspect online and had developed a friendship with him, investigators said.

Through forensic examinations of the victim’s computer and cell phone, investigators said they were able to track the suspect to a residence in Surprise, AZ. A search warrant at the home on Thursday, May 14, yielded evidence relating to the case, investigators said. The suspect was interviewed at the home where he admitted to his actions, investigators said. They also discovered this wasn’t the first time he had committed these types of crimes, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office wants to remind parents to be aware of the dangers of children meeting people online, suggesting parents check their kids’ accounts frequently.