BEAUMONT, Texas — A juvenile has been arrested in connection with a threat made against Odom Academy on Wednesday as Beaumont Independent School District Police and the Beaumont Police Department continue to investigate threats against two Beaumont campuses.
The juvenile suspect connected to the threat at Odom Academy was arrested and taken to the Minnie Rogers Juvenile Justice Center, according to BISD spokesperson Jackie Simien.
The threat against Odom Academy was made on Instagram, according to the district.
Police are continuing to investigate the threat as well as another made the same day against Pietzsch- MacArthur PreK-8th Grade Center, according to Simien.
Investigators decided late Wednesday night that the threats did not require the campuses being closed on Thursday.
Additional law enforcement will be present at the campuses during the investigation.
The FBI says it has received more hoax school threats in Southeast Texas this month than any other month in the past three years.
The FBI told 12News it's seen over 50 school threats in the Houston-Beaumont area since school started this year. Eight of those threats were in Beaumont.
"These threats exercise and take up a lot of law enforcement resources, time, energy and effort," said the Assistant Special Agent at FBI Houston, Christopher Soyez.
Districts have been overwhelmed with these threats, resulting in increased security on campus.
"We see over 50 threats to schools to date, which is more than any month we've seen over the past three years," said Soyez.
While some of the threats have been credible, the FBI says a majority are hoaxes. However, Soyez says hoax threats are serious federal crimes that carry serious charges.
"And so, we're gonna [going to] take them seriously, and we're gonna look to identify, locate and potentially arrest those individuals making those threats," said Soyez.
Jefferson County Criminal District Attorney Keith Giblin agreed and told 12News that anyone found guilty of making school threats, real or fake, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
"Anyone calling in a bomb threat or anyone bringing a gun to school or threatening a school, that's a third degree felony," said Giblin. "It's punishable between two and 20 years in prison and with a fine and other punishments also."
District Attorney Giblin says hoax threats are a distraction and causes classroom learning to be disrupted.
"They are disrupting our students' study time," he said. "They're disrupting our teachers."
FBI Assistant Special Agent Soyez says if you see a school threat online, do not re-share it.
"We don't wanna [want to] share the threat, we want to notify law enforcement of that threat so we can address it and take action as deemed necessary," said Soyez.
Soyez also advised against any potential copy cats.
"These are not a joke. Even if they're intended to be a joke, they're not," he said. "We treat them all seriously."
Making a threat, even over social media is a federal crime and those found guilty can receive prison time or face state or local charges.
The Odom Academy student is facing a terroristic threat charge, which is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine up to $2,000 if convicted.
BISD police chief shared a message for any kids who want to try something similar.
"We will find you, and we will apply the law accordingly, but hopefully our children can refrain from engaging in those type of activities."
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.