PINELLAS COUNTY, FL – A 15-year-old Miami resident, Maycol Matute, has been arrested for making a bomb threat against the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office via social media.
Matute, residing at 5229 NW 2nd Street Unit A., Miami, faces a charge of False Report Concerning Planting a Bomb, Explosive, or Weapon of Mass Destruction. The arrest was made on Monday, November 20, 2023, by detectives from the Miami Police Department.
The investigation began when Matute sent a message to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office’s Instagram account claiming he had sent a bomb to their station. Collaborative efforts between Pinellas County and Miami Police Department detectives led to Matute’s identification and subsequent arrest. During the investigation, Matute expressed his belief that law enforcement would not take his threat seriously.
In a related incident, 16-year-old Bryce Crocker was arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office on November 16, 2023, for similar threats made on the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office’s Instagram. Crocker faces charges of Written or Electronic Threats to Conduct a Mass Shooting or Act of Terrorism and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office emphasizes its zero-tolerance policy towards all social media threats, underscoring its commitment to community safety and thorough investigation of such threats.