Teenager Faces Felony Charges Following Prank Calls That Caused Campus Lockdowns
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A 16-year-old sophomore from Winter Haven High School was arrested Monday, September 15, 2025, after he allegedly made two separate phone threats to his school and Auburndale High School, prompting a swift response from law enforcement. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office School Threat Assessment Team (STAT) apprehended the student after an investigation linked the calls to his cell phone.
The incidents began at approximately 11:05 a.m., when Auburndale High School received a disturbing call from a male who claimed he was in a school restroom with an AK-47, stating, “You need to find me before I go into a classroom and take hostages.”
READ: Winter Haven Man Clocked At 104 MPH On US 27, Arrested For Excessive Speed
Just six minutes later, a similar call was made to Winter Haven High School, where a male caller announced he had a rifle and intended to “shoot-up the school at some point today.”
STAT detectives immediately launched an investigation, quickly discovering that both calls were made from the same phone number. Their inquiry led them to a Lake Alfred woman whose son, Blake Maynard, attends Winter Haven High School. Detectives subsequently met with Maynard and his mother at their home.
When confronted with the evidence, the 16-year-old reportedly attempted to deflect suspicion, suggesting his stepfather had made the calls. However, detectives determined that Maynard was the one who placed the threatening calls, and he was taken into custody.
READ: Plant City Man Faces Decades In Prison After Conviction Monday
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd condemned the actions, issuing a stern warning to anyone considering similar pranks.
“Phone calls like this aren’t funny; they’re not pranks, nor jokes,” Sheriff Judd stated. “To the contrary, we are going to take each and every one of these type of calls seriously. And you can bet that anybody stupid enough to fool around like this is going to find out when we charge them with very serious criminal charges.”
Following his arrest, Maynard was transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Bartow.
READ: Lakeland Man’s ‘Visionary’ Schemes Land Him In Federal Prison For An Even Longer Stint
He faces multiple felony charges, including two counts of False Report of a Weapon of Mass Destruction (F2), two counts of Use of a 2-way Communication Device in Commission of a Felony (F3), and one count of Providing False Information to Law Enforcement during an Investigation (F3).
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
