Two Juveniles In Custody Over Terror Charges in NY and CO
Two juveniles, both aged 17, have been taken into custody and charged with terror-based crimes, for allegedly making threatening calls to educational institutions in Metairie, New York, and Colorado. The first individual, Jayden Bullard, resides in Lake County, Florida, and was extradited to Jefferson Parish on May 2. He now faces multiple charges, including two counts of conveying false information about a planned school bombing and five counts of terrorization. These charges were presented by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s office in relation to the false threats he reportedly made to Lutheran High School and Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies, which are both situated in Metairie. The threats occurred on December 2 and December 3, 2024, respectively.
An additional accusation leveled against Bullard pertains to him ‘swatting’ his co-defendant, Angel Bonilla. The term ‘swatting’ refers to the act of deceiving emergency services into dispatching a response team, such as a SWAT team, by making a fake distress call that paints a picture of imminent violence. In this case, Bullard is alleged to have called in false reports of violence against Bonilla’s residence on Edenborn Avenue, Metairie, on no less than five separate occasions between October and December 2024.
Bonilla’s initial arrest transpired on January 2nd, in effect to an investigation that was launched to look into the series of swatting calls aimed at his dwelling. Upon in-depth perusal, the investigators discovered that Bonilla and Bullard were not acquainted in person; however, they formed an association through online platforms, specifically gaming websites such as Discord and various chat rooms.
The investigation further unveiled that Bonilla appears to have been an active participant in the swatting activities instigated by Bullard, along with other individuals who presently remain nameless. Following these revelations, Bonilla was taken into custody and subsequently indicted for three counts of terrorizing and obstruction of justice. This information is gleaned from court records made available by the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office.
Bonilla entered a plea of not guilty on May 1 in response to these charges. His indictment for terrorization is a direct consequence of the threatening calls he is believed to have made towards schools nestled in the regions of New York, Colorado, and an additional location that has not been disclosed to the public.
At present, Bonilla faces no pending criminal charges in either New York, Colorado, or the undisclosed location with regard to the threatening phone calls he allegedly made. However, he remains in custody alongside Bullard at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center, located in Gretna, where they were detained on a Wednesday.
The court has set Bonilla’s bail amount at $80,000, while Bullard has a significantly higher bail, fixed at $350,000. These figures were set in view of the severity of their implied offenses.
It is important to note that under prevailing laws, the crime of making a false bomb threat directed at school property is of grave substance, and the punishment attached to it is considerable. If found guilty and convicted of this crime, the guilty party can face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Similarly, the charge of terrorizing is sternly dealt with by the law. It has a stipulated maximum sentence attached to it, which can run up to two years in jail. Thus, it is evident that these are serious charges, with correspondingly severe penalties.