MADISON, Wis. — A 17-year-old Madison boy accused of being behind multiple bomb threats at Vel Phillips Memorial High School last school year stood mute as a Dane County court entered not guilty pleas on his behalf Monday afternoon, online records show.
Joseph Garrison faces nine felony charges stemming from a series of bomb threats at the school. Police arrested Garrison, a student at Memorial, last month.
RELATED: Madison teen allegedly used Bitcoin to pay for bomb threats at Memorial High School
According to a criminal complaint, Garrison reportedly admitted to using Bitcoin to pay a third party to make the bomb threats at the school between Feb. 28 and March 4. The complaint also alleges he made online payments on the same days as threats were made to schools in Pennsylvania and Texas, where his friends attended classes.
Madison police ultimately deemed the threats were not credible, but they did disrupt classes and led to extra officers being stationed at the school.
During Monday’s court hearing, Garrison’s bond was modified to ban him from school-sponsored events. Previously, he had been banned from any Madison Metropolitan School District school or property, as well as the schools in Pennsylvania and Texas.
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