2 Students Admit to Planting Fake Bombs

Two Channel Islands High School students have admitted in court that they were responsible for placing four phony bombs on campus grounds, a prosecutor said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Pam Grossman said the 17-year-old suspect was in Ventura County’s juvenile court Tuesday to admit to the felony charge. The boy’s accomplice, a 16-year-old sophomore, appeared in court to make the same admission Friday, Grossman said.

Neither student, however, talked about motives for planting the fake bombs, Grossman said.

“They haven’t said anything so far, so I have no idea as of yet why they have done this,” Grossman said.

Both students could face a maximum of three years in the California Youth Authority.

Sentencing for the 16-year-old boy is scheduled for May 28, with the 17-year-old returning June 2 for sentencing.

The names of the teenagers have not been released.

Both boys were arrested May 11, hours after authorities discovered what appeared to be three bombs around the school’s campus. Another bomb look-alike was found off campus but near the school, authorities said.

At the time of discovery the devices, later determined to be fake, looked real enough that police decided to evacuate the school and call in the Sheriff’s Department’s bomb squad.

Police interviewed dozens of students about the incident before arresting the two boys.

Both students have been suspended from school, say campus officials, who anticipate the expulsion of the boys from the district.