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Involve in a school prank No school punishment but possible felony charge

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Manifesto32

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Virginia

Hello guys, I'm 18 years old and i'm a senior a falls church high school.

A couple weeks back, I was involved in the prank, but technically I didn't vandalize school property.

Now to let you guys know, when me and my peers got caught, I told my side of the story truthfully.

Heres what I actually did...

The prank involve bottles being mix with liquid gas and aluminum to create a loud bang, or you can say an explosion. No it dosen't cause damage, but it is very loud and people might perceive as a terrorist act or some kind of bomb.

My side of the story: Before the prank started, I lit one of the bottles out of curiousity to see its effect. The next day, the mastermind of the whole thing asked me if i want to do it or not, I told him possibility no because of the consquences that might uprise after the whole event. The day following, me and a couple of people met up before school, I clearly told them I'm not going to be involved in it. I went to school and everything went perfectly until the explosion actually happen. There was a bottle filled with aluminum but no gas in my locker. I later found out that my friend put the bottle in my locker as a backup in case the explosion didn't work. My friend confess to the police about the locker incident.

Result:
No school suspension or explusion.
Possible felony charge, due to my knowledge of the prank and litting one them off as a demonstration on church grounds.

Now, the only things that I think I'm charged with and what the police officer told me was that I actually lit one of them on a field near CHURCH, disposing the bottle that was found in my locker into the sewer.

The police officer mention that everyone who was involved in the prank will only be charge with one or two charges.

Now, I haven't went to the magastrator's office because my police officer had to go the hospital, so i have to wait 1-2 weeks.


Question: What do you think I'll be charge with? If so, do you think Im going to get a plea bargain, lesser charge, like probation?

Another question, just to be safe ( all of the people that were part of it are hiring lawyers as I speak), should I hire a lawyer?

All replies are open, I really want have a feel on what I'm going into.
Thanks alot :)
 
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Ozark_Sophist

Senior Member
If you plead, you will probably get two years or so in prison, depending on the charges. If you go to trial and are found guilty, expect five years or so at least--again, depends on specific charges.

A coworker participated in a similar prank at a retail store and got two years in prison, lost his full athletic scholarship, and ended up raped more than once in jail.

Get an attorney. Do not talk to ANYONE or make any statements unless he or she is your retained attorney.
 

Ozark_Sophist

Senior Member
§ 18.2-85. Manufacture, possession, use, etc., of fire bombs or explosive materials or devices; penalties.
...
Any person who (i) possesses materials with which fire bombs or explosive materials or devices can be made with the intent to manufacture fire bombs or explosive materials or devices or, (ii) manufactures, transports, distributes, possesses or uses a fire bomb or explosive materials or devices shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony.
...
§ 18.2-10. Punishment for conviction of felony; penalty.
...
(e) For Class 5 felonies, a term of imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than 10 years, or in the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both.
Enough said?
You may also face additional charges like
§ 18.2-46.6. Possession, manufacture, distribution, etc. of weapon of terrorism or hoax device prohibited; penalty.

A. Any person who, with the intent to commit an act of terrorism, possesses, uses, sells, gives, distributes or manufactures (i) a weapon of terrorism or (ii) a "fire bomb," "explosive material," or "device," as those terms are defined in § 18.2-85, is guilty of a Class 2 felony.

B. Any person who, with the intent to commit an act of terrorism, possesses, uses, sells, gives, distributes or manufactures any device or material that by its design, construction, content or characteristics appears to be or appears to contain a (i) weapon of terrorism or (ii) a "fire bomb," "explosive material," or "device," as those terms are defined in § 18.2-85, but that is an imitation of any such weapon of terrorism, "fire bomb," "explosive material," or "device" is guilty of a Class 3 felony.
...
§ 18.2-10. Punishment for conviction of felony; penalty.

The authorized punishments for conviction of a felony are:
...
(b) For Class 2 felonies, imprisonment for life or for any term not less than 20 years and, subject to subdivision (g), a fine of not more than $100,000.

(c) For Class 3 felonies, a term of imprisonment of not less than five years nor more than 20 years and, subject to subdivision (g), a fine of not more than $100,000.
One teen in the news lately for planning and possession of the elements of the bombs (not actual bombs themselves) has been charged along the lines of the second quote--in part because it involved a school.
 

Manifesto32

Junior Member
Wow, this is alot serious as I thought.
I knew at max that I might be facing little jail time, but hopefully it doesn't end up like that.

I was talking to another police officer about the incident, he said it is more likely their going to go easy on me and peers, especially me because I was the only who actually didn't lit it on school grounds because that is a totally different story if I did.


This is all speculation of course, but hopefully the court see as it a high school prank, because from the evidence that was given, police officers assume that it was just a prank, not a threat, but it could go either way in court.
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
Talk to that attorney. It is best to be prepared for the worst, and hope for the best.

- Carl
 

racer72

Senior Member
You posted in the wrong forum, this is the juvenile forum. You are an adult and will have to deal with this situation in adult courts.
 

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