State Police in Morrisville have arrested three teenagers and charged them with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and trespassing in connection to the February incident in which a Cazenovia High School teacher found two homemade bombs outside of her house.
Arrested within the past week were a 17-year-old male from Erieville; Garret M. Clabeaux, 18, from New Woodstock; and George “Sam” Langan, 18, from Cazenovia. All three were charged with criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a Class A misdemeanor; disorderly conduct and trespass, which are both violations.
Although state police have named the 17-year-old suspect in the case, Cazenovia Republican policy is not to print the names of minors.
All three suspects were charged after a two-month investigation, according to a state police press release.
According to police, the incident occurred when troopers were called to a residence in the town of Madison on Feb. 1 after the homeowner discovered a plastic bottle was thrown onto their second floor balcony just outside a bedroom. Troopers determined the plastic bottle contained a corrosive liquid chemical and other items which was designed to explode on contact.
The New York State Police Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) responded to the residence and discovered a second device located beneath the balcony just outside the residence. The NYSP BDU neutralized both devices at the scene.
Langan was arraigned on March 27 in the Village of Morrisville Court and released. He is scheduled to appear in Madison Town Court at 7 p.m. on April 13.
The 17-year-old suspect was arraigned on March 31 in the Town of Eaton Court and released on his own recognizance.
Clabeaux was arraigned on April 3 in the Town of Hamilton Court and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in Madison Town Court at 7 p.m. on June 1.
The investigation is continuing. Additional charges are possible in this case, police stated.
All three teens are students at Cazenovia High School and already have been disciplined by the district, although the names, grade levels and exact disciplinary actions taken were not released by the district. Despite the revelation of the teens’ names by the state police, District Superintendent Matt Reilly said he could not comment on the arrests or the teens’ futures in the Cazenovia school district.
“There is nothing I can say,” Reilly said. “These are matters between the district, the students and their parents, as governed by FIRPA [The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act].”
According to public information, the 17-year-old suspect was a starting quarterback for the Cazenovia High School football team this fall; Clabeaux was the starting goalie for the Cazenovia boys varsity soccer team and runs track; and Langan is the president of Project Café, a student-directed non-profit organization promoting drug and alcohol free activities, music, art, community service, and scholarship in the Cazenovia area.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
