Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — A Caswell man has been charged in connection with two bomb threats at Northern Maine Community College, both reported this month. “Chad Leighton, 29, of Caswell, was charged Tuesday with two counts of terrorizing, a Class C felony, in connection with the Oct. 2 bomb threat at NMCC, as well as the threat received Oct. 19,” said Det. Sgt. Wayne Selfridge, Presque Isle Police Department.
Normal activities at the campus came to a halt Monday morning, when campus officials received a call reporting an explosive device had been placed in one of the buildings. It was the second time such a threat had been received on campus this month.
“We received call shortly after 11 a.m. Monday at the Business Office indicating there was a bomb in the Christie Building. We notified police and began the process of evacuating the campus,” said Jason Parent, director of development and college relations, NMCC.
Parent said officials used the campus emergency alert system to notify staff and students of the threat.
“The system generates a message and sends it via all student communication devices — cell and home phones, family phones that are entered in our system, e-mails and text. We also routed the message to all campus phones,” explained Parent, noting the campus was cleared in 20 minutes.
The PIPD received notification at approximately 11:05 a.m. and responded to investigate. The Maine State Police were contacted, with Trooper Shawn Whalen and his bomb K-9, Bailey, also responded to the scene.
Classes and activities at the campus were cancelled for the day, as law enforcement searched for an explosive device. None was found and the scene was deemed safe for the public shortly after 1 p.m.
“At 1 p.m., senior management were outside the building and notified they could go back in. The same notification system used earlier in the day was used to notify residence hall residents that they could return. Campus remained closed to all other individuals until Tuesday morning,” said Parent.
Parent said the two incidents were met by disappointment by both staff and students.
“Students, faculty and staff were disappointed (when campus was closed following each incident). They take learning very seriously. This really disrupted their day. You can’t get a day back,” said Parent. “We’re hoping this is the last of this.”
Campus records indicate the two calls were the first of their kind to be received in over 30 years. Prior to the Oct. 2 call, the last bomb threat the campus received was reported to have occurred sometime in the 1970s.
With Leighton’s arrest, officials are hoping life returns to normal and that no more threats occur.
“Leighton was a student at NMCC. Terrorizing carries a fine of up to $5,000 and up to five years in prison. He’ll scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 18, 2009 in Caribou Superior Court,” said Selfridge.
Selfridge said it was a cooperative effort by NMCC staff and law enforcement that resulted in Leighton’s arrest.
“It was a team effort. A cooperative investigation between NMCC staff and police helped solve this case. We were able to gather sufficient information to bring charges and make an arrest,” said Selfridge. Selfridge would not elaborate on what evidence may have been discovered that lead to the arrest.
Also assisting with Monday’s investigation were Officer Lynn Hartley and Sgt. Laurie Kelly, both of the PIPD.
