Polk County deputies allege the teen anonymously placed hoax calls to law enforcement officials in an effort to lure SWAT teams to respond to Ft. Meade high school over the past four-months.  Deputies say the investigation began in September, when an unidentified male called the sheriff’s office and Fort Meade High School and said he was going to “drive to Fort Meade High School in a black Jeep Cherokee and shoot everyone with an AK-47,” prompting a SWAT team to place the school on lockdown.

So how did the police find him if the calls were being placed “anonymously”?  Detectives say they identified the suspect because the Canadian teen was communicating online with a student from Fort Meade allegedly telling the student “I am going to Swat your school,” just prior to the “anonymous” phone call.  In October, deputies allege the suspect again told the witness he was going to “swat” her school, then sent an email to the school, saying he was going to “blow everyone up,” prompting another lockdown.  In November, deputies say the suspect called the sheriff’s office and told the dispatcher he had just killed that witness’ parents inside his parents’ Winter Haven home, and would shoot any responding law enforcement officers. The witness told deputies it was a hoax.

Polk deputies allege that the Canadian suspect is an experienced computer programmer who is allegedly on probation for similar crimes in Canada. Police say the suspect allegedly confessed to the Polk “swatting” crimes and is suspected in similar crimes throughout the U.S.

The teen is being held on charges of extortion and disorderly conduct.  Most people think of extortion as when a suspect extorts money from a celebrity by threatening to release unflattering pictures of the celebrity if they do not pay the suspect money.  However, the purpose of the Florida Extortion statute 836.05 “Threats; extortion” is to “condemn malicious making of threats to others, verbally or by written communication, with intent to extort money or other pecuniary advantage, or to compel persons so threatened or any other person to do any act or refrain from doing any act against his will.  In this case, that would be forcing the SWAT team to respond to the school or the school being placed on lockdown.  This can be a very dangerous situation and why the crime is a very serious felony carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison (2nd degree felony).

Under Florida Statute 985.557 “Direct filing of an information; discretionary and mandatory criteria”, this juvenile could be prosecuted in adult court instead of the juvenile division.  This is a Level 6 offense that carries 36 points on the felony scoresheet.  44 points or more scores prison.

If you have been arrested for a crime, call an experienced criminal defense lawyer that will fight for you in court!

Thomas C. Grajek – 863-838-5549 

NCDD

Sandeep Gupta worked as a location manager in Houston for Schwan’s until he quit in 2013. He said he was subjected to extreme mistreatment, including racial slurs and physical attacks.

Gupta, who was born in India and raised in Hong Kong, said that he was called names such as “turban head” at work, and that coworkers suggested he was a terrorist. Allegedly, they also altered a photograph of him to make it appear that he was surrounded by a SWAT team. Gupta claimed that company managers physically attacked him, holding him down and striking him in the groin. He claims that the abuse continued on a systematic basis even after he reported it to his supervisor.

Gupta said that he needed the job and could not afford to quit until last year. He said he is now looking for work.

Schwan’s issued a statement stating that it is the company’s policy to provide a workplace free of discrimination and harassment, and that Gupta did not report the alleged abuse prior to his resignation.

Gregory D. Jordan is an employment lawyer. To learn more, visit http://www.theaustintriallawyer.com or call 512-419-0684.