Former School Employee Arrested For Making School Threats

Jayson Richardson, 42, Arrested

Formerly A Broward County Public School Teacher’s Assistant

BROWARD COUNTY, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2023) — Former Broward County Public School Employee was arrested for making threats against several Broward County schools.

After an extensive investigation conducted by the Broward Sheriff’s Office’s Threat Management Unit (TMU) and several law enforcement agencies, a former employee of Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) was arrested last Thursday on multiple charges related to making false bomb threats and written threats to kill.

The TMU of BSO, along with the Fort Lauderdale Police and Plantation Police, collaborated on this investigation for several weeks starting in mid November. As a result, Jayson Arlon Richardson was apprehended by BSO’s V.I.P.E.R. (Violence Intervention Proactive Enforcement Response) Unit and Sunrise Police last Thursday. He is facing five counts of false bomb threats and three counts of written threats to kill.

According to detectives, on November 18th, the BSO Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) received five bomb threats targeting schools in Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Plantation through the FortifyFL application. Through their investigative efforts, law enforcement identified Richardson as a suspect. It was discovered that these threats were traced back to a public library computer in Delray Beach where Richardson was using a computer at the time when the threats were made. As this investigation progressed further, BSO’s RTCC received an additional three shooting threats against schools through the FortifyFL app on December 13th.

The investigation uncovered that the threats originated from the Broward County Library in Davie/Cooper City and Richardson emerged as a suspect once again.

As per detectives, after Richardson’s arrest, he admitted to committing the crimes. Detectives also mentioned that Richardson had previously worked as a teacher’s assistant for BCPS.

Richardson is currently facing the following charges:

•  5 counts of (FSS 790.163-1) False Report Concerning Planting A Bomb, An Explosive, Or A Weapon Of Mass Distruction, Or Concerning The Use Of Firearms In A Violent Manner
•  3 counts of (FSS 836.10) Written Threats To Kill

BSO wants to remind everyone that these types of threats are taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. They can lead to criminal charges. If you come across or become aware of any such threats, please report them immediately. You can report suspicious activity by contacting the non emergency number of Broward Sheriff’s Office at 954 764 HELP (4357). Remember, if it’s an actual emergency, call 911.

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