A former Broward County Public Colleges instructor’s assistant was arrested final week for making bomb threats to varsities within the county.
In an announcement, the Broward Sheriff’s Workplace (BSO) mentioned that Dawn police arrested Jayson Arlon Richardson on Dec. 21 following a prolonged investigation that started mid-November.
The investigation revealed that on Nov. 18, the BSO Actual Time Crime Middle (RTCC) obtained 5 bomb threats by means of the FortfiyFL utility in opposition to faculties in Deerfield Seashore, Fort Lauderdale, and Plantation.
By way of investigative means, Richardson was developed as a suspect, BSO mentioned. It was discovered that the threats got here from a public library pc in Delray Seashore, the place Richardson was utilizing a pc on the time the threats have been made.
On Dec. 13, three further taking pictures threats in opposition to the faculties have been obtained by BSO’s RTCC by means of the FortifyFL app. Investigation revealed that the threats got here from the Davie/Cooper Metropolis Department Library in Broward County, and Richardson was once more developed as a suspect, BSO mentioned.
In accordance with detectives, following his arrest, Richardson confessed to the crimes.
Detectives mentioned that Richardson beforehand labored as a instructor’s assistant for BCPS. In accordance with the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Richardson labored at North Fork Elementary Faculty in Fort Lauderdale earlier than he was terminated in November 2022. He was then employed at Deerfield Seashore Elementary concerning the second week of November 2023, then fired the identical day as a result of he was “unintentionally employed” after his termination from North Fork.
He faces 5 counts of constructing false bomb threats and three counts of constructing written threats to kill.
On Thursday, Richardson confronted a decide the place his bond was set to $1.6 million. He remained in jail after his court docket listening to.
“He suggested me that on account of Mr. Richardson’s acts, the bomb squad needed to be referred to as out to Deerfield Elementary to do sweeps,” mentioned a prosecutor at Thursday’s court docket listening to.
“Sources have been used to come back out and examine the opposite faculties. At a minimal, this has induced a big disruption to those faculties and the lives of those younger youngsters.”
BSO is reminding the neighborhood that some of these threats are taken significantly, investigated totally, and will end in felony prices.
Moreover, they urged the neighborhood to report any suspicious exercise by contacting the Broward Sheriff’s Workplace non-emergency quantity at 954-764-HELP (4357) or submitting a tip by way of the SaferWatch app. In emergencies, at all times name 911.
