Wachowiak guilty of St. Bede bomb incident

PRINCETON — Jaclyn Wachowiak has pleaded guilty to her involvement in the Feb. 22 bomb threat incident at St. Bede Academy.

On Thursday, Wachowiak appeared before Associate Judge C.J. Hollerich in Bureau County court to plead guilty to a charge of attempted disorderly conduct, a Class A misdemeanor. Wachowiak had also been charged with disorderly conduct, a Class 3 felony, but that charge was dismissed as part of the plea agreement. If found guilty of the felony charge, Wachowiak had faced a possible $3,000 to $10,000 fine and two to five years in jail.

On Feb. 22, a bomb threat resulted in the evacuation of students and bomb-sniffing dogs searching the premises. Spring Valley police received a call from St. Bede about 7:50 a.m. in reference to a suspicious letter addressed to St. Bede that was received by mail, and made reference to a bomb placed in or outside the school.

A search of St. Bede revealed no explosive devices. Wachowiak, who was a student at St. Bede at the time, was arrested Feb. 28 on the charge.

On Thursday, Wachowiak was sentenced to two years probation to expire Oct. 3, 2009.

She was also ordered to pay fees, charges and costs totaling $190 from bond, a probation fee in the amount of $10 per month, and restitution in the amount of $1,794.07 through Bureau County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Wachowiak was also ordered to schedule an evaluation for mental health at North Central Behavioral Health Systems in LaSalle, barred from entering St. Bede property and ordered to perform 275 hours public service work by April 4, 2008.

She was also ordered to serve 15 weekends in Bureau County Jail commencing Oct. 14, and every consecutive weekend thereafter until her sentence is completed, and to pay $30 in advance per weekend.

Wachowiak was ordered to pay the fines or appear at 11 a.m. on Dec. 4.

Comment on this story at www.bcrnews.com.