Two USM students were indicted on Friday, July 6, for bomb threats against the university last year. The results of the investigation spearheaded by USM police chief Lisa Beecher and Detective Penny Belanger allowed the Cumberland County District Attorney’s office to indict Erin Grade, 20, of Rockland and Geneva Benner, 19, of Thomaston in the December 6 threat.
In total, nine bomb threats were called or emailed in to the university during the 2006-2007 school year, several resulting in full-campus evacuations. Beecher said that Benner and Grade were responsible only for the December 6 threat, and the case is still open and active in the hopes of indicting more suspects.
The charge against the students is terrorizing, a Class C felony that is punishable by up to five years in prison. According to state law, a person is guilty of terrorizing “if that person in fact communicates to any person a threat to commit or to cause to be committed a crime of violence dangerous to human life.and the natural and probable consequence of such a threat.to cause evacuation of a building, place of assembly or facility of public transport or to cause the occupants of a building to be moved to or required to remain in a designated secured area.”
A federal statute for bomb threats, United States Code Title 18, Section 921, Statute 18-844e, reads that the crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both, and applies to both adult and juvenile offenders.
A $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the bomb threat suspects was issued last December by former university president, now chancellor of the UMaine System, Richard Pattenaude. Beecher previously said that outside informational tips called into the police offices were used in the investigation.
The reward will not be presented until an actual arrest and conviction has occurred.