SEQUIM — Resolutions are forthcoming for 45 former students allegedly involved in a senior prank in June at Sequim High School.
Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols said charges have been filed for the graduated seniors, then 17 and 18 years old, and his staff recommended that, through the county’s Diversion Program, Juvenile Court and District Court, they be required to perform various hours of community service and write apology letters to school officials and the community.
Five students also are recommended to pay restitution for damages to Sequim School District for allegedly throwing eggs inside and outside the school building.
Nichols said he recommended that eight students who returned to help staff and fellow students clean up the mess not be required to do community service because “they showed an effort to make amends regardless if they made the mess.”
While the Sequim Police Department forwarded misdemeanor and felony charges for different students, Nichols said he did not file felony charges for any student.
Since felony charges were not filed, Peninsula Daily News is not naming any of the students involved. Diversion cases also are private.
June 1 incident
Forty-five students, then high school seniors, gained unauthorized access to the school’s H-Building about 10:30 p.m. June 1, and five students were seen smashing eggs inside two classrooms and outside the building, the Sequim Police Department said.
One student allegedly wrote a derogatory slur on a whiteboard inside the Life Skills classroom, and others were smoking marijuana, but those allegations were not forwarded to the prosecuting attorney’s office, Sequim police detectives said.
Sequim School District staff said the vandalism didn’t cause permanent damage, but Det. Sgt. Darrell Nelson reported that the total cleanup cost the district about $1,100.
School started on time on June 2 after staff members and students helped clean the building, Nelson said.
All students allegedly involved in the incident were allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony that week.
Sequim School District Superintendent Regan Nickels wrote in a June 6 email to parents and graduating seniors that the students were allowed to walk after initial punishments were implemented, as there were some procedural errors in the disciplinary process following pressures to clean the building, reviewing security footage, conducting interviews and meeting with families.
“Upon district review, it became clear that some disciplinary actions were not fully supported by a sound and complete process,” Nickels wrote. “As a result, certain initial decisions have been revised.”
She added that, “during this time in which we are asking our students to accept accountability, we must also hold ourselves to that same standard.”
“While school-based consequences have changed for some students, this does not affect any legal outcomes that may result from the ongoing investigation by the Sequim Police Department,” Nickels wrote.
Large case
The police department and the prosecuting attorney’s office worked on charges and paperwork through the summer after detectives initially sent charges to Nichols in mid-July.
Sequim Police Chief Mike Hill said it was the largest number of individuals the Sequim Police Department has referred for a single case. He said the police department “committed a significant amount of time and effort to thoroughly investigate the acts of vandalism.”
“We appreciate the cooperation of school officials, students, parents and community members throughout this process,” he said.
Nichols said the case is unique in that, in his two decades with the county, he couldn’t think of a single event that brought so many individuals for potential charges.
The 45 students make up about one-fourth of Sequim High School’s Class of 2025.
Nichols said that, because of the number of individuals, there was a lot of work behind the scenes for he and Tracey Lassus, deputy prosecuting attorney assigned to juvenile court, to review at a “granular level.”
He said they wanted to follow the Juvenile Justice Act (RCW 13.40.010) to balance keeping the students accountable and address rehabilitation “as an ideal for these youthful individuals as they embark on their next stage of life.”
Nichols said some students had recently turned 18 and most didn’t have a criminal record, so he felt it was appropriate to treat them equally as their peers.
He said that while they didn’t want to throw the book at the students, they wanted there to be accountability so the students could learn a lesson and not repeat the behavior.
“What’s heartening to me is that there were kids and young adults who showed up to right the situation after the fact,” Nichols said.
“That’s not something we see often. It was encouraging and instills hope in me.”
Charges filed
The charging recommendations for 45 students include:
• 26 adults (18 or older) are given the option of an informal diversion in the prosecuting attorney’s office in lieu of being charged with criminal trespass.
Recommendation: 10 hours of community service each for a nonprofit, apology letters to the school, school district and community.
• 13 juveniles (age 17) referred to the Diversion Program for consideration by the Community Accountability Board in lieu of being charged with criminal trespass.
Recommendation: 10 hours each of community service for a nonprofit, apology letters to the school, school district and community.
Nichols is not recommending community service for the eight juveniles and adult students who returned to help clean up the school.
• One adult who allegedly stole the keys to enter the building has been charged with first-degree criminal trespass and third-degree theft in District Court.
Recommendation: 48 hours of community service, apology letters to the school, school district and community, and $200 restitution to the school.
• Five individuals who allegedly threw eggs have been charged with first-degree criminal trespass and third-degree malicious mischief . One student, a juvenile with prior criminal history, will be seen in Juvenile Court; two adults have prior criminal history and will be seen in District Court, and two adults with no criminal history will be seen through the informal diversion process with the prosecuting attorney’s office).
Recommendation: Each student must complete 48 hours of community service, write apology letters and pay $200 in restitution to the school district.
Under state law, first-time juvenile offenders with potential misdemeanor charges are referred to the Diversion Program. If the juveniles opt not to follow the Diversion Program’s recommendations, then the prosecuting attorney’s office can file the charges in court.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. He can be reached by email at matthew.nash@sequimgazette.com.
