Second court appearance for boy accused of making threat against Oregon High School

OREGON – A 12-year-old boy who police have said made a “threat of violence” against Oregon High School last week appeared in Ogle County juvenile court for a second time Tuesday and remains in the custody of his mother.

The boy is charged with making a terrorist threat and disorderly conduct, both felonies, Ogle County State’s Attorney Mike Rock said.

The nature of the threat has not been released and was not available through court records.

The juvenile justice system for youths ages 10 to 18 is different from the criminal system for adults. Offenses are considered delinquent acts rather than crimes, and cases are “adjudicated delinquent” rather than “found guilty.” Adjudication is the process wherein a judge determines whether a juvenile committed an offense.

Names of juveniles charged with offenses are not released to the public.

The boy’s first court appearance was a Sept. 20 hearing at which he was represented by Ogle County Public Defender Michael O’Brien with Judge Clayton Lindsey presiding. Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten represented the state.

At the start of that hearing, Lindsey asked three people who entered the courtroom with the boy’s mother to leave. He also asked the news media to leave. Lindsey allowed the mother, probation officers and a police officer to remain. Under state law, members of the news media are allowed to cover juvenile hearings.

After the hearing, Leisten said the boy was released from custody with special conditions. Those conditions, as well as other information regarding the court hearing, were not available Friday.

On Tuesday, the boy appeared before Judge John “Ben” Roe represented by Ashley Davis of Rockford with Assistant State’s Attorney Richard Russo representing the state. Davis asked Roe to modify the conditions of the boy’s release so other adults could help supervise him as his case proceeds through the court system.

Russo did not object, and Roe granted the request. The boy’s next court date is at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 29.

The boy had been held in custody after he was charged Sept. 19 with making the threat, which police said appeared on social media.

The Oregon Police Department, in collaboration with the FBI-Rockford office, allege that he made the threat through social media late Wednesday, Sept. 18. Oregon Police Chief Matt Kalnins and Oregon School District 220 Superintendent P.J. Caposey issued a joint news release Sept. 19 stating the agencies had concluded that the threat was not credible.

Kalnins said the alleged threat of violence was planned for Friday, Sept. 20, and was being investigated by local law enforcement and the FBI-Rockford office with the cooperation of school administrators.

Caposey said a message alerting parents of the “situation” was sent out between 8:45 and 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, after the school’s homecoming parade and bonfire.

“We want to reassure our community that the investigation confirmed there is no immediate danger to the students, staff or the broader school community,” Kalnins said in the second news release Sept. 19. “The safety and well-being of Oregon’s students and school staff are, and will always be, our top priority.

Kalnins said that “to ensure ongoing security and peace of mind,” Oregon police officers maintained a strong presence around the school Sept. 20 as well as throughout the weekend’s homecoming festivities.

According to state statute, a person “commits the offense of falsely making a terrorist threat when in any manner he or she knowingly makes a threat to commit or cause to be committed a terrorist act ... or otherwise knowingly creates the impression or belief that a terrorist act is about to be or has been committed, or in any manner knowingly makes a threat to commit or cause to be committed a catastrophe as defined ... that he or she knows is false.”

Disorderly conduct is the “unlawful interruption of the peace, quiet or order of a community, including offenses called disturbing the peace, vagrancy, loitering, unlawful assembly and riot.”