On March 14, several staff members at Piccowaxen Middle School, located at 12834 Rock Point Road in Newburg, received an e-mail that contained a vague threat of violence. The sender indicated “something bad would happen” if the school wasn’t closed the following two days. There was no mention of weapons or exactly what would occur. School officials immediately notified the CCSO, and an investigation was launched. As a precaution, officers were stationed at the school as the investigation was underway. Detectives worked with school staff members and internet service providers throughout the day and into the night and subsequently identified an address of where the e-mail came from. Detectives responded to the address and, after speaking with a parent, were able to identify the sender as a juvenile male who attends the school. The juvenile was charged with making a threat of mass violence and disturbing school operations. Detective J. Elliott and Det. C. Shankster investigated.

Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Learn more at the CCSO’s website.

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency comprised of more than 600 police, corrections and civilian personnel responsible for protecting more than 150,000 residents. The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2001 has been designated as a CALEA Gold Standard of Excellence agency since 2011. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.    

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