Mattawa teenager faces a month in detention for homecoming threats

MATTAWA — Mattawa teenager Deibis Perez, 17, was arrested Sept. 29 after posting threatening statements to Instagram regarding this year’s homecoming celebrations at Wahluke High School, according to the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office.

Perez has since been charged with one count of felony harassment/threat to kill and one count of false reporting, which carry a maximum charge of 30 days in juvenile detention, up to 12 months of community supervision and 150 hours of community service.

An initial post made by Perez to the social media site stated, “Wahluke High School homecoming, something big will happen,” said Chief Deputy Prosecutor Alan White. A second post, which the prosecutor’s office would not immediately make public, set off red flags for other social media users who then contacted law enforcement, White said.

The sheriff’s office said at the time that it did not believe there was “any credibility to the verbalized threat and there was no evidence of a formalized plan or any actual preparation.”

Though law enforcement did not find any proof that Perez had the means or intention to carry out his threat, the sheriff’s office said that it still would be pursuing charges against the Mattawa teenager.

“You can be held accountable for making threats,” said Kyle Foreman, spokesman for the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. “We take threats against schools 100 percent seriously.”

At an initial hearing, the presiding judge found that there was not probable cause to the count of felony harassment, ruling that Perez did not have to pay bond for that charge while he awaited trial. The judge did find probable cause to the count of false reporting.

Perez’s bail, set at $500, was paid by a parent, according to White.