YATES CENTER — A bomb threat at the Yates Center High School on Sept. 12 has led to at least two individuals being charged in connection with the incident, according to a report from The Yates Center News.
Students alerted district staff of a video made by a juvenile who had threatened to bring a bomb to school to kill another student. The threat stemmed from an alleged bullying incident. Although a district staff member was made aware of the video, they did not report the incident to law enforcement officials. This prompted some students to later report the incident themselves to the Woodson County Sheriff’s Office.
In Kansas, school administrators, teachers and other employees of an educational institution are court mandated reporters.
AFTER the report was made, the Woodson County Sheriff’s Office requested charges be brought against USD 366 High School Principal Eric Lee Busteed for official misconduct according to the Kansas State District Court records.
Busteed was previously suspended, with pay, by the school board in an emergency meeting Sept. 30, and was reinstated one week later on Monday, Oct. 7. The same day he was reinstated, charges were filed against Busteed by Woodson County Attorney Mary Ann Shirley.
The report states that Busteed “unlawfully and knowingly destroyed, tampered, or concealed evidence of a felony while in the capacity of a public officer.”
The charge is a severity level 8 nonperson felony.
Busteed has a preliminary hearing scheduled for 9 a.m., Nov. 18, in the Woodson County Courthouse.
As confirmed by Yates Center Police Chief Michael Strode, a juvenile has been charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threat, and disorderly conduct in connection with the incident.
