Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly made an announcement on Friday that much of the county was awaiting anxiously: an arrest has been made in the repeated threats placed against multiple Flagler schools, primarily Buddy Taylor Middle School. The perpetrator who’s been taken into custody is Jaureion Seneca Paul Smith, a teenage boy from South Daytona, just a 40-minute drive south from the schools he allegedly harassed. Though initial reports listed him as 14 years old, a statement posted Friday evening by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office listed him as 13.
According to Staly, the boy carried out the threats on a dare from a student who does go to Buddy Taylor. On Friday the boy is said to have placed calls to BTMS, after similar calls were made earlier in the week to nearby Old Kings Elementary School, and a private school in Bunnell.
Staly delivered the news in a press conference Friday evening, announced suddenly, presumably to spread the word that the panic was over as quickly as possible. He confirmed that the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office did not have the identity of the BTMS student who’s said to have dared the suspect to place the threats – but he urged that student to turn themselves in or else they’d be found in the ongoing investigation.
The suspect may or may not be charged as an adult – Staly didn’t know and it will ultimately be up to the State Attorney’s office – but if he is, each charge will carry with it a maximum of five years in prison. He’s already been charged with making a false report of a bomb, tampering with evidence, and unlawful usage of a two-way communication device. It remains to be seen the full breadth of charges issued against the teen. As of now, he’s only charged for allegedly calling BTMS on Friday, when he’s said to have told the school it would blow up in minutes.
Even in the event the suspect hadn’t been caught for some time, the end was in sight for the mass confusion and disarray caused by the threats: the end of the school year is only days away. But still, families will now have the ability to send their kids to school with the knowledge that a suspect is in custody.
TR
May 18, 2024 at 7:05 am
Glad they caught this punk. Stupid is as stupid does. Glad they are showing this kids face, minor or not.
But the parents are probably going to come out and say he was a great kid. NOT!. Bad parenting in teaching the kid right from wrong. But why wasn’t this punk in school in S. Daytona instead of walking down the street? Guess his summer is ruined. One of the punishments he should have to do is clean every desk in the school he called the bomb threat into.
Koko
May 18, 2024 at 3:59 pm
They are only showing his face because he’s a black child. White children blow up schools everyday and you never know who they are. But this is the world that we live in and created by the white man the same ones that created the laws.
TR
May 20, 2024 at 7:11 am
You’re a perfect example of why racism is alive and well in this country and it’s pretty pathetic. BTW, you are soo wrong with your comment. I see pics of young underage white kids faces in articles when they do things wrong and get caught on the news feeds all the time.
Shane Falco
May 19, 2024 at 9:33 am
As much happiness and relief that his arrest has brought to the community, I don’t agree with showing his face and releasing his name. There are some people that will retaliate against him and his family now. I’m sure there’s some law about releasing any information about a juvenile who has committed a crime. The terror these two idiots put BTES students and parents through just may push someone to do something they wouldn’t ordinarily do. Now they can due to the release of this child’s info.
Shannon Griffin
May 19, 2024 at 11:02 am
Why is the Sheriff’s Department releasing the name and picture of a 13-year-old?
Md
May 20, 2024 at 7:14 am
Freedom of the press. Fifth amendment baby
Chris Gollon
May 20, 2024 at 1:04 pm
The freedom of the press protects us, not the Sheriff’s Office. Their decision to include photos of a perpetrator who’s a minor is theirs, provided they’re in compliance with applicable laws. Our site’s decision to include it is based on two factors: the heinousness of the alleged crimes, and fact the photo is already in wide circulation meaning to leave it out would have no meaningful effect on concealing the child’s identity.
TR
May 20, 2024 at 7:15 am
Because it’s about time to show everyone who the future of this country is. I think it’s great that everyone sees what the future has in store. They should have been doing this long ago. If these punks of today want to act like adults and commit crimes, then they need to know exactly what it feels like when they get caught.