LIBERTY, NY — A 14-year-old student was arrested in connection with a telephone threat that triggered a lockout and subsequent early dismissal at Sullivan County BOCES on May 8.

A threat was left on a message machine at the BOCES main office on Wierk Avenue in Liberty on the evening of May 7.

BOCES staff discovered the threat when they went to work the next morning. The sheriff’s deputy assigned to BOCES as the school resource officer was notified, and he contacted all law enforcement agencies in the county because the threat did not specify a particular BOCES facility.

BOCES administration first implemented a “lockout” procedure and then dismissed classes early. All students and staff had either left the BOCES facilities or returned to their home school districts by 12:30 p.m.

According to Sheriff Mike Schiff, detectives from the Village of Liberty Police and sheriff’s office worked late Friday night consolidating their leads. “They worked with District Attorney James Farrell Friday night, who personally drew up a search warrant,” said Schiff.

On the next morning, detectives executed a search warrant at a residence on Tyler Road in the Town of Cochecton. Detectives seized property there, which included computers, cell phones and a rifle.

The target of the investigation, a 14-year-old male, was not home at the time. Detectives learned that he was staying with a relative in Liberty. The suspect was tracked down just before 12 noon on Saturday at the elementary school playground behind the Liberty police station. He was taken into custody without incident.

The youth, whom the police will not identify because of his age, was charged with falsely reporting an incident, making a terroristic threat, both felonies and aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor.

Schiff said that the teen had attempted to use fairly sophisticated techniques to prevent his voice from being recognized and prevent authorities from tracking the phone call. He would not elaborate on how detectives overcame these obstacles. Schiff said investigators do not believe the suspect ever intended to cause actual harm to anyone.

Schiff praised the work of his deputies, Liberty Police Detective Mark Hess and thanked District Attorney Farrell for bringing the investigation to a quick conclusion. The sheriff also thanked the BOCES administration for their cooperation and quick response.