ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
W.A. HOLMES, SHERIFF
P 0. BOX 955.304 PRINCE STREET
TAPPAHANNOCK, VA. 22560
(804) 443-3346
8-28-2023
Ref: Threats to Essex County Public Schools
Essex County Sheriff, W. A. "Arnie Holmes" reports that on 8-23-2023
at approximately 8:00 PM his office was notified by a parent of a Essex
County Public Schools student that their child had received a threatning
text message from an unknown number. The threat was directed at the
child as well as the school. Through modern investigative techniques my
office was able to locate the owners of the phone. With help from the
Stafford County Sheriff's Office we were able to identify two juvenile
offenders and obtained petitions for both. Both juveniles were taken into
custody by the Stafford Sheriff's Office and custody was transferred to
the Essex Sheriff's Office. A detention hearing was held on Friday,
August 25, 2023, One juvenile was released to the custody of their
parents with numberous court ordered stipulations, the other was ordered
and held at a juvenile detention facility until a future hearing date. The
investigation is ongoing at this time.
