SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –The United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, and the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the San Juan Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Joseph González, today warned the public about the serious consequences of issuing threats to schools or colleagues and reminded the community that hoax threats are no joke.
“Making a threat against the safety of a person or an organization through social media, by text message, or by email is a federal crime for constituting a threat through interstate communications. Those who post or send such threats can receive up to five years in federal prison, or may face charges before the courts in Puerto Rico,” said US Attorney Muldrow. He also added that “a reckless and impetuous comment on social media could result in our youth beginning their adult life in prison and becoming labeled as criminals for the rest of their days. It is necessary to educate them to avoid such dire consequences.”
“Public safety is our number one concern. When it comes to threats to schools and other public places, our posture is to treat all threats as credible to ensure public safety and thoroughly investigate the origin of every threat,” said SAC González. “We will follow every tip to get to the bottom of each occurrence. So, to those making hoax threats, know that, even if you never intended to carry them out, threatening a school is not a joke. It is a serious federal crime which could result in up to five years in prison.”
Public assistance is crucial to support the efforts of federal and state agencies to counter this trend. Therefore, people with information about any possible threat or suspicious activity that puts security in schools and in the community at risk should contact the FBI in San Juan by calling 787-987-6500.
Also, if you understand that your safety or the safety of others is in imminent danger, call 9-1-1 immediately.
We wish to emphasize that threats to schools and other organizations not only cause serious emotional distress to students, school staff, and parents, but also create a great social toll. Schools lose valuable teaching time responding to these threats, and state and federal law enforcement agencies spend countless man hours and resources investigating each threat to determine its credibility and protect the public. Furthermore, a young person can ruin their future by making a false threat to a school and end up being prosecuted.
For all these reasons, please think before you post. #ThinkBeforeYouPost
What can you do to help?
- Never post or send false threats… period.
- If you are the subject of an online threat, alert your local authorities immediately.
- If you see a threat posted on social media, contact the authorities and the FBI immediately.
- Notify authorities, but do not share or distribute the threat until authorities have had a chance to investigate – doing so can spread incorrect information and cause panic in the community.
- If you are a parent or relative, be aware that some young people post these threats seeking attention, revenge, or to manipulate. Talk to the children and young people in your care about the correct way to express your frustrations and other emotions. Explain to them the importance of responsible use of social networks and the consequences of posting false threats.
