SKOWHEGAN — Two Skowhegan-area boys who were arrested March 1 on felony terrorizing charges after allegedly making school threats on social media will have their day in court on Monday, March 26, according to the district attorney.

Maeghan Maloney, district attorney for Kennebec and Somerset counties, said the charges have been presented to the court, but declined to provide details of the case.

“The juvenile petitions are confidential,” Maloney said in emails to the Morning Sentinel. “They are both juveniles and will be tried as juveniles. I cannot comment on the facts of the case or the investigation which is ongoing. I also cannot speculate on the eventual outcome.”

Maloney said the investigation so far has found no connection between the Skowhegan threats and the ones at the Mount View school complex in Waldo County on the same days.

The two unidentified boys were taken away in handcuffs from Skowhegan Area High School just after noon March 1 after a second post on social media that week threatening violence. Schools in Skowhegan-based School Administrative District 54 were closed Wednesday, Feb. 28, after officials were alerted to a social media post showing an image of an AR-15 assault rifle accompanied by a threat.

A second Snapchat message — on the heels of other threats of violence in the aftermath of the mass school shooting in Florida — reportedly was posted about 6:30 a.m. the following day, March 1.

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The first message, which prompted schools to be closed said, “Skowhegan, February 28, 2018 you’re all DEAD.”

The second message on social media said that closing the schools in the Skowhegan school district the previous day only makes the sender, called “Ray Dar,” want to kill more.

One of the boys is a Skowhegan Area High School freshman, the other a sophomore. They were arrested and taken to the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland. Maloney would not say if the boys remain at the youth center.

Both are charged as juveniles, not as adults, with terrorizing.

It was the freshman student who allegedly posted the first threat the night of Feb. 27, according to Skowhegan police. The second threat allegedly was made by the sophomore.

Skowhegan police later in the day March 1 carried out a search warrant at a home on Turner Avenue in Skowhegan, looking for evidence.

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Local police, the FBI and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit began investigating the online threats beginning late Feb. 27, closing schools on Feb. 28. School Administrative District 54 Superintendent Brent Colbry sent a message just after 9:30 a.m. March 1 to all district parents saying that all the schools were on “Lock-out,” meaning no one could get in without authorization.

SAD 54 serves Canaan, Cornville, Mercer, Norridgewock, Skowhegan and Smithfield.

“I ask the public to be aware that terrorizing is a crime and it will be prosecuted,” Maloney said. “In light of current events, we are taking very seriously any threats to our children.”

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter:@Doug_Harlow

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