Teen Faces Terrorism Charges After Snapchat Posts Claim She Was Deliberately Spreading Coronavirus
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Lorraine Maradiaga, 18, of Carrollton, Texas has been charged with “making a terroristic threat”–a third-degree felony–after she posted several Snapchat videos stating that she had tested positive for COVID-19 and was in a Walmart deliberately spreading the illness.
On Sunday, police issued an appeal to the public for help in locating Maradiaga, who they said was “claiming to be COVID-19 positive and wilfully spreading it.”
Police added that they had “no confirmation tithe Maradiaga is actually a threat to public health,” but said they were “taking her social media actions very seriously.”
She was taken into custody after she turned herself in on Tuesday, police said. Maradiaga told police she tested negative for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and police said they have no proof she previously tested positive.
She was arraigned and her bond was set at $20,000 and was taken to the Denton County Jail.
Source: Newsweek
Maradiaga has a lot of time to think about what she has done. As a condition of her bond, she has been ordered to remain in quarantine for 21 days after she is released from jail.
If convicted, Maradiaga could spend up to 10 years in prison and face a fine of up to $10,000.
We have no confirmation Maradiaga is actually a threat to public health. We are, however, taking her social media actions very seriously.
— Carrollton TX Police (@CarrolltonTXPD) April 5, 2020
News Release: pic.twitter.com/vEcL084If4
— Carrollton TX Police (@CarrolltonTXPD) April 7, 2020
It looks like Maradiaga got the attention that she was looking for.
Was this result was worth the bump in her Snapchat score, though?
