School site bombing suspects plead guilty to misdemeanors

By Carey Phillips

Cases involving two other teens are expected to be resolved during the Nov. 13 Superior Court term, according to assistant district attorney Monica Leslie. A seventh person charged was a 15-year-old minor at the time, and his case was handled through the juvenile justice system. The incidents occurred on Dec. 3 and 10 of last year when portable toilets at the school construction site were destroyed by the bombs.

"We felt like it was a fair resolution because of their ages and lack of criminal record," Leslie said. "We felt they could go on and be productive members of society, and that would not have been possible with a felony conviction. They were certainly punished with significant community service time and supervised probation."

Leslie said the bombings were an extreme form of vandalism but resulted in property damage only. She said during the investigation nothing was uncovered to suggest a larger plan or the intent to harm anyone.

Peter Thomas "P.T." Parker, 18, of Sylva, pleaded guilty to two counts of exploding bombs and two counts of injury to personal property. In an unrelated charge, he pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana.

Parker received a sentence of 45 days suspended for 12 months and was placed on supervised probation on condition he pay fine of $200 and costs and make restitution of $327.33. He was ordered to perform 200 hours community service related to computers and report for an initial evaluation by a qualified assessment agency.

Charges dismissed against Parker included conspiracy (two counts), malicious injury/damage by explosives (two counts), possession of weapon of mass destruction (two counts) and possession of weapon on campus or other educational property.

"I think it's a good resolution for my client, the community and everybody involved," said Parker's attorney, Pat Smathers of Canton. "Being from outside the community, I think the situation was handled very well. The sheriff did what he needed to do, the school system did what it needed to do, the district attorney did what he needed to do and the kids did what they needed to do. It was some kids out being kids."

Joshua Earl Haddock, 18, of Sylva, pleaded guilty to two counts of exploding bombs and two counts of injury to personal property. He received a 45-day sentence suspended for 12 months and was placed on supervised probation on condition he pay fine of $100 and costs and make restitution of $327.33. He was ordered to perform 200 hours community service related to an animal shelter or animal clinic and to follow recommendations from an assessment previously obtained.

Charges dismissed against Haddock included conspiracy (two counts), malicious injury/damage by explosives (two counts), possession of weapon of mass destruction (two counts) and weapon on campus or other educational property.

"I think this thing was blown out of proportion to begin with," said Raymond Large, Haddock's attorney. "Twenty years ago or even 10 years ago, they would not have been charged with anything. They were victims of Columbine. The sentence was certainly proportional to what they were charged with doing."

Andrew Joseph MacRae, 18, of Whittier, pleaded guilty to two counts of exploding bombs and two counts of injury to personal property. He was given a sentence of 45 days suspended for 12 months and placed on supervised probation on condition he pay a fine of $100 and costs and make restitution of $327.23. He was ordered to perform 200 hours community service relating to a community college and report for an initial evaluation by a qualified assessment agency. Charges dismissed against MacRae included malicious use of an exploding device (two counts), conspiracy (two counts), possession weapon of mass destruction (two counts), possession of weapon on school property and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

"It ended up the way I thought it would," said Leonard Hilty, MacRae's attorney. "I told my client from the beginning this was the outcome I expected once things settled down. I think it's a good resolution, and I think it's appropriate."

Travis Shaun Shepherd, 18, of Sylva, pleaded guilty to aid and abet injury to personal property. He was sentenced to 45 days suspended for 12 months and placed on unsupervised probation on condition he pay costs. He was ordered to perform 75 hours community service related to computers.

Charges dismissed against Shepherd included conspiracy, malicious use of explosives, possession of weapon of mass destruction, possession of explosives on educational property and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Graham Duls, Shepherd's attorney, declined to comment.

The remaining two defendants are Jennifer Parker of Cullowhee and Matt Breedlove of Sylva. Like P.T. Parker, Haddock and Shepherd, they were seniors at Smoky Mountain High School at the time of the incidents. They were suspended for the remainder of the school year. Jennifer Parker was in line to be valedictorian for the class of 2000.

MacRae was a student at Southwestern Community College when he was charged. The 15-year-old was an SMHS sophomore. He was suspended but later returned to school.

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