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Police Haven't Found Plans For 'Illegal Event' On Teen's Computer

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By BILLY TOWNSEND | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 18, 2007

Previous Coverage: Arsenal Raises Questions | News Release/Search Warrant | Photos

LAKELAND - Police are continuing to search computer equipment seized from the home of 18-year-old Shawn Newberry, but they have yet to find evidence of any plot in motion, Lakeland Police Department Sgt. Terri Smith said Thursday.

Shawn Newberry

Newberry, who legally accumulated firearms and other weaponry in the past 10 months, was arrested Monday after an investigation that started Oct. 3, when he walked into a Lakeland charter school where he had just enrolled wearing a bullet-resistant vest.

He has been charged with having a weapon on school grounds, armed trespassing, grand theft and criminal mischief. Only the first charge relates to the school incident. It stems from a canister of a Mace-like chemical agent called "Clear Out" that police say they found in Newberry's car.

At no point during the school incident did Newberry threaten anyone, according to police and school officials.

The other three charges come from video of target-shooting sprees at a property off Winter Lake Road. The video was seized during a search of Newberry's home Oct. 10, police said.

It has not been released to the public.

That search was prompted, in part, by concerns that Newberry was "training and arming himself for some future illegal event in conjunction and conspiracy with other like-minded persons," Officer Jennifer Mullins wrote in applying for the warrant. Police were looking for evidence of "communications and plans" at Newberry's home at 2108 Selkirk Lane.

No such evidence has turned up, Smith said. But detectives are continuing forensic checks of the computer equipment, she said. Newberry remains in the Polk County Jail on $605,000 bail.

Newberry's father said his son has been wrongly accused. "The truth is Shawn is the most gentle person you'll ever meet in the world," Jessie Newberry Jr. said. "He's never picked a fight with anybody. He would not hurt a flea."

Newberry's father said his son had permission to be on the Winter Lake Road land and that the other charges, which revolved around shooting a newspaper box, are unfounded.

Reporter Billy Townsend can be reached at (863) 284-1409 or wtownsend@tampatrib.com.

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