Ronaldo Hernández-Padrón, an 18-year-old student at Florida International University (FIU), was released on bail after being arrested for allegedly making threats on social media.
The posts, described as "alarming" by the authorities, included phrases such as "bad things are going to happen" and mentioned "bombing a house today."
The origin of the case: Publications on Instagram
The incident began on January 4, when the FBI's National Threat Operations Center received an online tip from Instagram regarding posts from an account linked to the young man.
According to case records, Hernández-Padrón used his account with the username "JurassicParkLover2006" to post messages in a private chat group with friends.
The messages included expressions like "bad things are going to happen" and mentioned "bombing a house today."
Although, according to the defendant, it was just a joke, Instagram did not take it lightly and reported the situation to the authorities.
The investigators followed the lead and confirmed that the account was linked to Hernández-Padrón, thanks to the associated residential address and date of birth.
Detention and charges
Two FBI detectives and a Miami-Dade police officer located the young man at his residence in Miami on Saturday afternoon.
He was arrested without resistance and transferred to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGK), where he was charged with serious offenses related to written threats involving mass shootings and terrorism.
During his initial court appearance on Monday, Judge Mindy S. Glazer confirmed that the crime of Hernández-Padrón, if proven, constitutes a second-degree felony.
If found guilty, he could face a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
The statements of the accused and their defense
After his release, following the payment of a $5,000 bail, Hernández-Padrón expressed remorse for his actions, describing them as a "joke" that was taken out of context.
"It was not directed at anyone specifically," the young man stated in remarks to the local press as he left jail.
"It was a very bad joke, but it went too far. I learned from my mistake and I promise not to do it again," he added.
His lawyer, David Dornay, insisted that the posts were not serious and that all the participants in the chat understood it was a joke.
"It was a youthful indiscretion," Dornay stated.
"We are confident that Mr. Hernández, who is an outstanding student and a bright young man, has learned the lesson from this joke," he added.
However, the state prosecutor refuted these claims, arguing that “bombing a house would be an act of terrorism” and that “in today’s society, one cannot joke about such things.”
He added that threats, even if made in jest, can cause public alarm and mobilize significant resources from the authorities.
The judge's reaction and the legal consequences
In court, the judge reprimanded Hernández-Padrón, emphasizing the seriousness of the offense.
"You can't joke about anything online because many bad things happen in this world, and the police take everything seriously, as they should," stated Mindy S. Glazer.
He also urged the young man to reflect on his actions and learn from this experience to become a better person.
"I believe that the best thing you can do is to learn from this and not repeat it, to not let it happen again, and to learn from the mistake you made," he added.
Hernández-Padrón's parents and relatives were present at the hearing, but they refrained from making statements to the media. However, according to the defense attorney, the family is "stunned and deeply depressed" by what has happened.
The attorney emphasized that the young man of Cuban descent is an honor student at FIU and a youth with no history of legal issues.
However, among the student community at FIU, opinions on the case are varied.
"There are so many cases of shooters in schools doing the same thing, so he brought it upon himself," said Zairion Palmer, a college student.
On the other hand, Breno Albas, another student, pointed out that "the internet is a very open gateway to a person's thoughts, and if their thoughts involve blowing up a house or doing dangerous things, that needs to be taken into consideration."
The case of Ronaldo Hernández-Padrón serves as a reminder of the legal and social consequences that can arise from irresponsible comments on social media.
Many digital platforms are increasingly vigilant in detecting behaviors that could be interpreted as threats in the United States, and federal authorities do not hesitate to act in these cases.
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