March 6, 2023 at 9:43 a.m.
Bauman receives probation in school official threat case
Charges to be expunged, pending successful completion of probation
Bauman receives probation in school official threat case
By Trevor Greene-
Initially, Bauman was to stand trial starting March 21 with a final pretrial on March 2. He was sentenced during the final pretrial, however, after his attorney Breanna Magallones presented Oneida County district attorney Michael Schiek with a plea agreement of no contest.
According to court records, Bauman's case is to be expunged with successful completion of probation - which means the 19-year-old could clear his record if he manages to do so.
Bauman, on Feb. 13, was charged additionally with felony bail jumping after he was located at a residence in Vilas County Feb. 11 with a cell phone that can connect to the internet. That charge was dismissed.
The terms of Bauman's three year probation, including an 80-day credit of served time in jail, are that he cannot have any contact with victims, must get a mental health assessment and cannot be on the premises of Lakeland Union High School (LUHS) unless approved by administration.
Bauman was alleged to have threatened a school official from LUHS, and another from Three Lakes High School.
According to the criminal complaint filed against Bauman on June 10, an investigation ensued after Lakeland Union High School officials were alerted to possible threats when a woman said she had observed a picture of an assault rifle on a message allegedly sent to her child by Bauman.
It was also noted in the complaint that Bauman was expelled from high school in 2019 following an incident where he "went down the hallways and pretended to shoot into classrooms."
Bauman admitted to investigators after his arrest that he did purchase firearms and ammunition on June 7 in Rhinelander, which included a semi-automatic rifle and a drum magazine that holds approximately 60 rounds of ammunition.
In analyzing a cell phone belonging to Bauman, investigators found messages where he allegedly told others he was "researching Columbine" (referring to the 1999 mass shooting at a Colorado high school killing 15 people) and also that he had a conversation with a friend regarding the May 14, 2022 mass shooting in a Buffalo, N.Y. grocery store.
As a result of the alleged threat, both school districts canceled school for the day.
Court records also note all firearms belonging to Bauman were confiscated and will not be returned.
As a result of the March 2 court proceedings, Bauman avoided a maximum sentence of three-and-a-half years in prison for the terrorist threat charge and a maximum sentence of six years in prison for the felony bail jumping charge.
Trevor Greene may be reached via email at [email protected].
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