LOUISIANA (KLFY) — With school threats on the rise, law officials are sending a message to make it clear that if you make a threat, you will be prosecuted.

Sheriff Charles Guillory of Evangeline Parish said, “I really think children don’t know the consequences. By law enforcement taking it very seriously and the schools taking it very seriously, we’re not going to put up with it and you will be arrested.”

US Attorney Brandon Brown said threatening a school is a federal crime, and offenders face serious jail time for these actions.

“They are instances the FBI will investigate, we consider them terroristic acts. We have a federal charge called ‘Terrorism’ that exposes an offender to a 5 year maximum penalty of imprisonment,” stated Brown.

In cases involving school buses and vehicles, Brown said a second charge can be added.

He told News 10, “There’s another statute called imparting or conveying false information, more commonly known as the ‘bomb hoax’ statute, it also carries a 5 year maximum penalty. It’s also used in certain instances of threats where false information is being given in terms of aircraft or motor vehicle; in this case someone calls in a threat to a school bus, this statute could be used as well.”

Brown hopes potential violators will also take into consideration the emotional stress they put on students, parents, and law enforcement before making a threat.