Man who threatened school online sentenced
GOSHEN — A man who admitted to posting online threats against Goshen schools received a two-year sentence.
Andre Smith, 18, was sentenced Wednesday to two years in the Indiana Department of Corrections with 380 days suspended to probation. He will receive credit for 175 days spent in custody since his arrest.
He must also write a letter of apology to the school.
Smith pleaded guilty in February to one count of intimidation as a Level 6 felony. A second count of intimidation was dismissed.
Smith was arrested shortly after the Sept. 18 incident, which police said caused close to 80 percent of Goshen Community Schools students to miss classes that day. The school remained open despite the threats, which were posted on Facebook at around midnight.
A post on the 'Nosy Neighbors of Michiana' Facebook group stated, 'Goshen high school students be ready' followed by several gun and devil face emojis. Another said 'My friend will take care of GPD also be ready boys in blue.'
Investigators arrested smith, with the help of the Indiana State Police, after connecting him to the Facebook account that posted the threats. He told them he made the threats because he wanted to 'scare people that were mean to others,' according to police.
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