FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2018
PRESS RELEASE
Nicole Cevario Receives 25 Year Sentence
FREDERICK- Nicole A. Cevario, age 19, of Thurmont, MD, pled guilty today of count 1, Possession of Explosive Material With Intent to Create a Destructive Device. The Honorable Scott L. Rolle sentenced her to 25 years in the Division of Correction with 5 years suspended. The Patuxent Youthful Offender Program is recommended and upon release, she will be placed on 5 years supervised probation with the special condition to stay away from all educational institutions.
On March 23, 2017, deputies with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office were alerted by staff members at Catoctin High School of a journal that contained entries describing a plan to commit a “Columbine style” act of violence at the high school. The journal was written by a student, identified as Defendant Nicole Cevario, and discovered by her parents at their residence in Thurmont.
Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Detectives interviewed Cevario who admitted that she had purchased several items in order to assemble pipe bombs, including pipes, end caps, shrapnel, magnesium tape, and fireworks. Cevario planned to fill the pipe bombs with the explosive material located inside the fireworks and detonate the bombs at the school on April 5. She also described her intention to kill herself with a shotgun she had purchased. During a search of Cevario’s room, Detectives seized a backpack containing three pipes with end caps attached, 2 boxes of shotgun shells, bottles of lighter fluid, matches, and miscellaneous screws and bolts. Fireworks containing explosive material were found hidden in a hamper. A Remington shotgun was also located. Testing by the Deputy State Fire Marshall confirmed that the material in the fireworks was an explosive pyrotechnic mixture and that the items seized would have constituted an improvised explosive device (pipe bomb) when assembled. Cevario’s journal entries detailed her intention to detonate the bombs at Catoctin High School was well as her plan to commit suicide during that same event.
The State Fire Marshall, ATF, and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office were agencies involved.
The State was represented by Chief Assistant State’s Attorney Jason Shoemaker and Assistant State’s Attorney Rebecca Clinton.
J. Charles Smith, III
State’s Attorney for Frederick County, Maryland