12-Year-Old’s Online Threat Turns Into Felony Arrest: transcript

If somebody had texted my son saying that he was going to come and find him and uh touch him, I think is what how he worded it. >> Pretty serious. >> Are you serious? >> Yeah. >> Definitely not a smart one. >> Go get your phone down before I strap. >> Okay, calm down, please. >> On September 25th, 2025, a concerned student reports his 12-year-old classmate after receiving a threat in a group chat along with photos of his knife collection. Sheriff's office >> contact Sheriff's office.

>> Hey, how's it going? Are you >> the uh police? The police are here. >> Sheriff's office. >> Are you speak parents? >> How's it going? >> Hey, how's it going? >> What's up? >> Are you father? >> Yeah. >> All right. Um, so the reason we're here is someone called about some threats that made. Um, I was just curious. Are you aware of his number? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> It's pretty serious.

>> Are you serious? >> Yeah. >> Is he here right now? >> Yeah. Is he here right now? >> Oh, he get Yeah, he has a collection. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, he collects. >> He said, "I'll address said another time I'll you." >> And who is this he's talking to? another student. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> He said he's not his friend, but they were all in a group chat together. >> Okay.

>> So, do you guys mind if I speak to him? Of >> course. >> At first, the parents don't realize their son's threats won't be taken lightly. >> We may end up >> We may end up seizing those knives as well as evidence. >> Has he ever done anything illegal before? >> No. >> Never been in trouble or anything? got a little bit of trouble, but it was um last year >> kind of involved, but he wasn't sort of involved. So, the dart charges were dropped, >> which were good. It was um they were playing in a construction zone, but it was deemed that, you know, he wasn't involved. There was cameras. Thank god for that. He has his collection. He likes it. So, obviously, he's an idiot >> saying this. Definitely not smart.

>> Definitely not a smart one. >> Go get your phone down before I strap. Okay, calm down, please. >> You'll confiscate the stuff if you have to >> if we can get the photographs off what he says. So that way that's evidence. >> That way I don't have to take the phone or we don't have to take the phone. >> I'm nervous. I have >> Well, we'll just grab him. Grab the phone. >> I mean him. You're taking him. >> Hm. >> You're taking him?

>> No, we're talking about right now. He's here >> with the phone. >> Stop. Stop. Just laugh. Okay. All right. >> I'm sorry. >> All right. When >> we're going to I have to ask him a couple questions, but I'm I'm going to read him his rights before. All right. >> Rights. With these rights in mind, are you willing to talk to us? >> Yep. So, consent consent all around. Okay. So, um what happened today with the text messages with your friends? You can't be doing stuff like that. Okay. That is completely unacceptable.

And you know nowadays with people making threats and all these school it's it's something that we take very seriously. Okay. So what made you want to write these things? Were you was it an anger? No. And what exactly did you say to them? >> Fight them. And what else? Cuz I saw everything. No go. You you can you can cuss him out and anything even though that's something I don't agree with, but you can't make threats to harm people. All right. And then what is that nice knife collection? Is that yours?

>> Okay. Um did you have any plans of bringing those to school tomorrow? Nothing. >> Okay. Was your intent to ever hurt him or No. >> Okay. You saying it is enough where it's it's it's really bad. Okay. Um, >> do you have anything? >> Not at this time. I say that we'll figure things out as they go. >> All right. You can go back inside for one second. We're going to talk to your parents.

>> Go sit in the kitchen. Don't go in your room. >> You're good. Just relax. All right. So, so like nowadays when people make threats on the news, like >> we don't we don't turn the table anymore just because they're kids. >> Yeah. you have to take action because it's it's a felony to rent threats to kill is the charge whether it's to saying you're going to commit a mass shooting um bring knives to school to kill people anything terror or even to if you're going to say you're going to harm like someone >> our supervisor uh he he wants us to make an inerson arrest where he's probably going to go to DJJ tonight >> has he ever been to DJJ >> no >> no We have no choice. It's a felony and it's our supervisor wants it to be done.

Not sure. Just relax. Just relax. He's a kid. So, it's not We released you and it won't be too long. >> How it used to So, let me let me just bring us all back and give us an idea of where this is going for tonight. DJJ used to way back in my day um score the incident and the juvenile on a matrix and make a determination of an arrest um if it would be made or not. Uh nowadays they partner with resource center in Valuchia County. So what happens is an incident such as this, the family resource center is kind of a holding area. Provides some resources to the parents as well as the kids while the kid is holding. It's it's almost like a scare stream.

>> Yeah. >> And he will likely be released later. I cannot say what they will or will not do. Likelihood is he's going to the family resource center on um LPG by international. >> I think it's LPGA. probably um he I don't know if they'll do it overnight or how long it will be happen is he is going to be placed under arrest. We are going to take him to first hour jail that gets sent off to DJJ. Then they will still review everything >> and then they'll make a determination of whether he's again 90% nowadays they go to the F FRC.

>> He may come back tonight as well. >> Yeah, possibly. But we're not we're not it's it's low chance because it's a felony. It's It's for like smaller charges whether they release him to the parents that night. I'm not saying whether they will or not because they they might release him back tonight. But >> we'll grab your phone number. >> We're gonna get all your guys information. >> We don't we don't go by himself. >> Correct. >> Yes. [clears throat] >> First he's going to get processed and that means that he gets to basically get the intake process. He has to do his report on our jail. then that report gets sent off and then they'll make a determination of what the longer term um process will be.

>> I would like to see this as evidence because it's in the photograph that he's going to bring these to school. And does he have access to any other weapons in the residence? >> Does he need the Are there firearms at the residence? >> Yes. >> Are there other like knife collections at the residence as well? Or >> I wouldn't say knife collection, but I I have knives that I carry for work. >> Are your firearms secure? in the safe. >> Uh are those knives that you have secured? >> Uh not in the safe. They're in my dress. >> Knife that is in that photograph I am going to be taking as evidence. It'll be held until the case is over with and then at that point it will likely go to one of you.

>> What do you mean the case is like >> the knives? The knife that I said you shouldn't have [ __ ] knives. >> I don't know who decided to buy the most knives. >> Um >> can you guys describe your driver's license real quick? >> You want to take two? You can take my own business. >> I don't I don't like arresting juveniles. It's it's stuff that I don't like to do. But with stuff when the statue of Ren starts to kill, it's a very serious felony. >> I understand. Especially what's going on today. >> Yeah.

>> Um let me ask a question. Felony charges. So this is obviously court hearings. >> Yep. Yeah. >> Is it possible jail time, JDC time for extended period or is this going to be like process? >> I don't know. It's hard to tell. >> Yeah. I can't really tell. Has he ever like been convicted of anything or? >> No. >> Okay. >> No. >> Shouldn't be that bad then. >> He was charged with something a year and a half ago, >> but it got ruled out in court that he had no involvement. >> Once he is turned back to your custody, whether it's tonight, tomorrow, whenever.

>> In all likelihood, the school will be in touch and he is not allowed back into the school until further arrangements are made. Okay. >> He's probably going to have to end up going to the I forgot what it's called. The >> rise up, I think. >> Rise up. Yeah. >> Our alternate school. >> He's going though. It's not really like a traditional gel. It's more like just a >> a holding cell. >> It's a whole It's like Yeah. But no one's wearing like correctional stuff. They're all They're all really cool. I've been there a couple times.

>> Not putting him in a jail cell. It is a scare street kind of thing where they have him like hobbled and handcuffed in a cage. But beyond that, it's just more so that way DJ can get everything together. And >> I believe they'll have someone like talk to him or something. I think that was how it was last time. He's just got to learn from this. >> Well, I mean, >> probably take away his phone. I would say uh make sure >> that's the lightest >> and he probably shouldn't have access to a knife collection till after he turns into >> I've been complaining about that knife collection for at least a year now.

>> All right. What's a good fun? Go take a picture of the night collection. >> Yeah, you don't mind dogs right there. Good. >> No. Yeah, I like dogs. [laughter] You want to pull your car up? [crying] >> [laughter] >> you soon. Okay. I promise [laughter] soon. Okay. You hear me? They're They're just going to talk to you. You'll be okay.

Don't worry. You're stupid. You made a stupid mistake. And everything me and daddy will be here. You'll come soon. Okay. >> Once my partner pulls off, okay? Don't worry. >> Everything will be okay. Promise me and daddy are here. I promise you we'll fix it. >> All right, honey. Let me go. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Hold on. Hands behind your back knuckles together. >> And we have one whisk my juvenile 105.

The cuffs are in the shape of ovals. So if you start twisting them inside the cuffs, they will hurt. Best way to do this is either knuckles together or palms together. >> All right. You good? They don't hurt. music if you want. All right, buddy. All right. >> The knives that were in the photos, apparently they privately belong to him somehow, and I was thinking of taking his evidence. They're okay with us. I think they were photographed already. So, if you want to just turn them over to dad or >> he's taken to the station where he's processed. >> Grab music.

>> Yeah. >> Okay, >> you're good, buddy. Just relax. I probably should play this. >> You're good, buddy. Just relax. Then what's going to happen? So, we're going to go to our jail and they're just going to um take a couple pictures of you and then to watch you watch Twitch. You like Tyson app?

No. You good? Talk to you. So, you got to be more careful. Okay. So nowadays, everything that you do online is going to be is going to be everyone's going to see it. All right? So the big things are, you know, you can say whatever you want to people, but you can't threaten them. All right? That's the big thing. You can't threaten anyone and or whether he said something really rude. You know what I mean? 12 years old, you should know better to to not say you're going to someone. Deleted the messages, which shows that, you know, it's not not all right.

be you taking any drugs or alcohol? >> Are you going to be withdrawing from any drug or alcohol? >> Don't worry about it. Going >> guys juvenile rents to kill. He's a little a little scared. >> Yeah, they they usually are. They're real tough until they get here. >> My 12year-old has a problem for the first place. >> World's crazy. >> Send a picture of a box of knife that he has three times. >> Got the one in there right now. Brand the school.

>> You got to hang out here. I don't know if you know the old drill with the juveniles. >> Yeah, that's what I that's what I've heard. I >> did you know that my name? >> He didn't know that. What do you know? >> 2 days after his arrest, his father collects him from the Department of Juvenile Justice and finally reviews the messages, realizing his son wasn't the only one at fault. >> The sheriff's office. How you doing? >> I'm doing all right. How about yourself? >> I'm doing all right. Are you telling me what's going on? So, I wanted to ask if somebody had texted my son saying that he was going to come and find him and uh touch him, I think is what how he worded it. Is that considered a written threat?

>> And explain touch. Are we talking sexually or are we talking physically? >> No, physically. Uh like fighting him. >> Uh and they go to school together. >> Yes. >> Did he express when he's going to do this or is just a general statement? >> No, just a general statement. He was the one that was just charged with written threats and arrested on Thursday night. Um, he's the kid that sent the picture of the knives. I >> I mean, I have no I have no idea about any of that. Your son was arrested. >> He was >> okay. >> But in the conversation, another kid also threatened to beat his ass. This other kid uh threatened to touch him, you know, meaning I'm going to come beat your ass. No, it happened on Thursday.

That's a chargeable offense cuz I don't understand why the other kid wasn't arrested. >> Um, basically, why did the other kid not get arrested? >> Exactly. and whether or not I can press charges on the other kid for threatening him of threatening him. He one of the other kids of the pretext threat. All right. If I need to speak to him about it, you know, then that's that's you know what I'll do. If if there's a potential charge written threat so that I can place on this other kid, that's the route that I want to go. My son's not the only one that did something wrong in this situation. >> Was that not mentioned at the time that he was arrested? It wasn't because when they arrested him, they took his phone and I had to come down to the DJJ center to get his phone so I can review the conversation. That's when I saw the other threat that was placed.

>> Chances are it might be better for the deputy that's working the case to continue because otherwise, you know, I'm kind of coming in halfway through. So, um, let me, uh, let me make a quick phone call and give you a call right back. >> Still, he isn't let off the hook. The boy faces felony charges for written threats to