Ex-Kentwood High student misses court appearance to face bomb threat charge

Ryan D. LaPlante failed to show up for his scheduled King County Superior Court appearance Monday to be arraigned at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent for making threats to bomb or injure property in March at Kentwood High School in Covington.

Ryan D. LaPlante failed to show up for his scheduled King County Superior Court appearance Monday to be arraigned at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent for making threats to bomb or injure property in March at Kentwood High School in Covington.

A $15,000 bench warrant was issued for LaPlante’s arrest after he failed to appear in court, according to Ian Goodhew, spokesman for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The judge set a new court date of June 20 for LaPlante to appear.

King County prosecutors have charged the 19-year-old former Kentwood student with threats to bomb or injure property in connection with an emailed threat March 29 to the principal that caused the Covington school to evacuate 2,000 students and staff and be shut down for a day.

Ryan D. LaPlante, told King County Sheriff’s Office detectives he emailed the threat because he was angry that he did not graduate in 2012 after attending Kentwood for four years, according to charing papers filed May 28.

If convicted as charged, the sentence range for LaPlante would be three to nine months in jail.

LaPlante is not currently in custody in King County, according to county jail records. A summons has been issued to him to appear in court. LaPlante has no criminal history, according to charging papers.


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