Pocono News Section

Security Guard Headed to Trial for Making Threats

Security Guard Headed to Trial for Making Threats - Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 5:40PM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Wednesday, Oct 14, 2009 @ 05:40pm EDT
SHENANDOAH, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY -- A Shenandoah school security guard is going to trial for writing a note. In it, he threatened to create a Virginia Tech situation and slicing the principal's throat.

Carlos Cintron's preliminary hearing was held this morning in Shenandoah. As he's led into court, Cintron had a message for Shenandoah Valley school district students. "They're cool kids. I like them all. I had nothing against them,Ó said Cintron.

But police say a note found at the former security guard's work station told a different story. Cintron threatened to create a Virginia Tech situation and slit the high school principal's throat.

Superintendent Stan Rakowski says he couldn't believe it. "I thought it was some nut that wrote it, quite honestly because I can't believe you would put that in writing," said Rakowski.

Cintron admits to writing the note but says it was out of frustration.

Cintron worked for Anthracite Protective Services, based out of Minersville. The company says Cintron passed all background checks when he was hired in August. He was fired immediately after the note was found by the school district.

Shenandoah Valley High School Principal Phil Andras said, "Any threat will be taken seriously. I don't know the circumstances around it, the why's the what if's, but yes, any threat to a district and our students will be taken seriously."

But Cintron's attorney Bill Bernhart said the note shouldn't be taken very seriously. "He can talk about anything he wants. As long as they're his private thoughts they're his private thoughts. He did not communicate it. The law requires that he communicate it,Ó said Bernhart.

A judge saw enough evidence to send Cintron to trial for terroristic threats.

When that note was found, the school escorted all sports teams away from the school to be safe. The Shenandoah Valley superintendent says school district returned to normal the next day.