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(NEW YORK) — A 15-year-old has been charged after allegedly making bomb threats against his Maryland high school in May, police said.
According to Montgomery County police, the teen allegedly worked with a 12-year-old boy from Pennsylvania to report the threats at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, which led to the school being placed on lockdown.
According to police, the 15-year-old found the 12-year-old on social media and allegedly paid him an undisclosed amount of money to make the threat. Authorities did not release the names of the two children.
According to police, the 15-year-old “communicated with the 12-year-old in real time, providing him with information, updates and instructions while the threats were being made.”
“The caller demanded payment of a specific dollar amount to prevent bombs from detonating at the school,” police added in a press release.
A SWAT team and canine units arrived at the school, and a search of the campus found no explosives. Students were dismissed for the day, police said.
The next day, the two also made threats against Walt Whitman High School and Bethesda Elementary School, police said.
The 15-year-old is accused of several crimes, including threatening mass violence, making a false statement and extortion.
He was handed over to his family, police said.
According to police, no charges can be filed against the 12-year-old under Maryland state law.
“However, the actions of both individuals resulted in disruption to school life, enforced a curfew and imposed emotional distress on students, staff and the community,” police said.
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