Published: Thursday, August 4, 2011 at 11:41 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, August 4, 2011 at 11:41 p.m.

LAKELAND | A Polk State College student has been arrested after telling deputies she took part in making a false bomb threat in July so she could study for a test.

Facts

"It's a top priority because bomb threats to college campuses will not be tolerated."

Grady Judd
Polk County Sheriff

Alexxis C. Anthony, 19, from Lakeland, told deputies she and a friend, Theron K. Brown Jr., were involved in a July 28 bomb threat to the college because she wanted her class to be canceled, according to an arrest affidavit filed by a Polk County sheriff's detective.

Anthony, a student at the Lakeland campus, told deputies she was pressured to keep her grades up because of a ­college scholarship.

The Lakeland campus was evacuated and closed July 28 until law enforcement confirmed that there were no explosive devices.

It was one of three bomb threats made to Polk State in July. The first two threats resulted in the evacuations of four Polk State campuses.

So far, Anthony is the only person charged in connection with a bomb threat. She was arrested Tuesday afternoon.

But sheriff's officials said Thursday they expect more arrests will be made and additional charges filed as the investigation proceeds.

The arrest affidavit said the two other threats — on July 6 and July 20 — were made from the same cell phone.

The July 28 bomb threat was made to the Winter Haven campus, the report said. The caller told the school the bomb would go off at the Lakeland campus at 9:15 a.m. That day, the college was announcing its new branding and mascot.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Thursday night that Winter Haven police received cell phone records and were able to trace bomb threats to the college July 6 and July 20.

The agencies used the records of cell phone calls to find Judeane Curry, a student at the Lakeland campus. She is identified in the affidavit as Brown's girlfriend.

Curry initially denied knowing anything about the threats. Later, she told sheriff's detectives that Brown had called her on the morning of July 28 and told her that he wanted to make a bomb threat to get her and Anthony out of school, according to the affidavit.

Curry told detectives she dismissed the comment, but later heard over a school intercom that the campus was being evacuated.

The bomb threat on the morning of July 6 caused the college to shut down its Lakeland, Winter Haven, Lake Wales and Lakeland Airside Center locations until 1 p.m.

The bomb threat July 20 also caused the four locations to close.

Officials at Polk State estimated in July that the first two threats cost the college more than $130,000. The cost was attributed to the college having to cancel classes.

Judd said Winter Haven police and the Sheriff's Office will continue to investigate the bomb threats.

"It's a top priority because bomb threats to college campuses will not be tolerated," Judd said.

"Everyone involved can expect to be arrested."

Anthony faces a charge of falsely reporting a bomb threat. Her bail is set at $15,750.

LINK TO PHOTO: 

http://www.theledger.com/article/20110804/NEWS/110809721