ELIZABETHTOWN —A Clarkton teenager was arrested on Thursday for taking on a copy-cat social media clown threat, but the results are far from a laughing matter. The 16-year-old has been charged with making a false report of mass vuiolence on educational property, a Class H felony with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

“This young man created a false Facebook Profile that showed photographs of clowns and threatening violence at East Bladen High School,” said Bladen County Sheriff Jim McVicker. “He had placed symbols of a bomb and a gun and worded his post to lead others to believe there would be an attack at the high school.”

Arrested was Cevon Ferris Jones, a student at West Bladen High, who investigators say made the threat on social media Wednesday.

McVicker said an investigation was started immediately upon getting the report.

“Lt. Morgan Johnson led the investigation and we were able to track down Jones through various means within six hours of getting the report,” he added. “We believe Jones was acting alone and he did not commit any overt acts to carry out the threat.”

McVicker said he did not believe the case to be related to similar cases in Columbus County that targeted Whitevoille schools.

“We were in contact with the schools and kept Dr. (Robert) Taylor, the superintendent of schools, aware of our investigation,” McVicker said. “We received the full cooperation of the schools involved and the administration. At no time were students or faculty ever in danger.”

Jones is being held in the Bladen County Jail under a $500 bond awaiting his first appearance.

W. Curt Vincent can be reached by calling 910-862-4163.

Jones
http://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_CevonJones.jpgJones

W. Curt Vincent

cvincent@civitasmedia.com