Idaho man who called in bomb threat and racist slurs to Portlands Lincoln High School sentenced to probation

[ad_1]

A 21-year-old Idaho man who phoned in a series of vile and racist threats to blow up Portlands Lincoln High School last year was sentenced Monday to three years of probation and community service.

Julian Ray Nevarez made the threats in multiple calls to the school on two days — Feb. 18 and March 1 in 2021 — and then phoned a Portland police officer on March 1 who was investigating the earlier threats, saying he would harm the officers children, according to Assistant US Attorney Peter Sax.

During the February call, no students were in the school because of the pandemic but about 25 staff were inside, including multiple people of color, according to court records.

Nevarezs call that day led to a lockdown of the high school and the eventual evacuation of staff. Teachers also were told to remain home the next day as school officials and police were concerned the callers threats could be credible, Sax said.

In March, Nevarez again used his cellphone to place calls in quick succession to the school, according to court records, with three of the four calls going to various staff members voicemail.

A vice principal answered the fourth call. Nevarez claimed he was outside waiting for two hours, well, one hour and used a racist epithet and vulgar language, according to the records. He told the vice principal to send him out, and threatened to rape em, though it wasnt clear who the caller was referring to, according to the court records.

Investigators determined Nevarez has no connection to Lincoln and had never been to Portland. He was calling from his cellphone in Idaho, where he lives in a rural area.

In June, Nevarez pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening Interstate communications.

The governments recommended probationary sentence resulted partially from Nevarezs neuropsychological evaluation and his youth, Sax said.

This defendant has gone from being bullied by others to becoming the bully, he told the judge.

Sax said he feared Nevarez would be further radicalized by spending time in federal prison, calling him a very impressionable young man.

Nevarez appeared in court by video with Idaho Assistant Federal Public Defender Angela Chang. Chang said Nevarez has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and an obsessive compulsive disorder that weren’t properly treated in the past. Since his arrest, he has been attending regular counseling and has a full-time job, Chang said.

Nevarez said he has struggled with anger and wasnt around much of his family or any friends at the time he placed the calls.

I didnt know what a phone call could do, he said. I apologize for everything that I said. He told the judge he is committed to improving himself.

The Lincoln High employee who answered the fourth call on March 1 told the judge that shes a person of color and said the hate and repetition of Nevarezs calls were absolutely inexcusable.

US District Judge Marco A. Hernandez ordered Nevarez to complete 80 hours of community service within the next three years, as well as required mental health counseling and treatment during his three years of probation.

.– Maxine Bernstein

Email [email protected]; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe

.

[ad_2]