NEWTOWN, Conn. — Newtown Police have charged a local juvenile with computer and racial crimes for disruptions of online learning at Newtown High School.
Police say they arrested the juvenile late Friday by arrest warrant for the cybercrimes that were committed in the fall of 2020, after what they say was a 6-month-long police investigation. It began when unknown persons accessed the Google Classrooms platform at Newtown High School, and "used racial epithets in an abusive and disruptive manner."
"This was a lengthy investigation, led by School Resource Officer William Chapman. The extensive investigation required the use of multiple search warrant applications and computer forensics to be served on internet platforms used by the suspected juvenile," police said in a press release. "Computer crime investigations tend to be lengthy in time and complicated," police said, crediting the resolve of SROs Chapman and Monckton.
The juvenile was charged with the following crimes;
- Ridicule on Account of Race (3 Counts)
- Computer Crime 5th Degree (3 Counts)
- Disorderly Conduct (3 Counts)
The suspect was released into the custody of his parents with a court date in Bridgeport Juvenile Court.
