FLEMINGSBURG — Four students from Fleming County High School allegedly confessed last week to vandalism at the Fleming County Recreation Park’s shelter house, officials said.

Fleming County Sheriff Gary Kinder said during a Dec. 11 fiscal court meeting that the vandals had broken into the shelter house’s restrooms, which had been padlocked, and caused a considerable amount of damage to the sinks and toilets. Picnic tables had also been flipped, and further damage had been dealt outside of the restrooms as well.

Judge-Executive Larry Foxworthy said the damage was estimated between $8,000-$9,000 at the time the vandalism occurred in November; however after a formal estimate, the total grew to $14,000.

Rewards for identifying the vandals were posted by many groups within the community. The Fleming County Fiscal Court was the first to post $500 as a reward, with the Flemingsburg City Council, Fleming County School District and the Fleming County Recreation Park Board also posting $500 rewards, along a teacher from Simons Middle School, Paul King, who contributed $100. All told, the reward for information which led to arresting the vandals was $2,100.

Kinder said he had a few names of students who might have been suspects sometime around Christmas last year, but he waited until classes resumed session after winter break to question the students.

With some assistance from Student Resource Officer Tim Smith, who heard from some other students of the culprits, Kinder went to the high school last week to question the potential vandals. Kinder said the four boys ranged between the ages of 14-17.

Once Kinder began discussing with the boys why he was there, he said two of the four confessed immediately, although the other two required more questioning before they too confessed. Each student also made written statements admitting that they had vandalized the shelter house.

As to why the four boys decided to destroy city and county property, Kinder said they gave no real reason — only that it was something to alleviate their boredom.

“They wanted something to do,” Kinder said.

Kinder said due to the property damage and the cost to repair said damage, the boys will be more than likely be charged with first-degree criminal mischief.

Because it is a first offense, and they are minors, Kinder also said they will be meeting with a court designated worker, who will issue guidelines for the boys to abide by, almost like a probation, where if they offend again they will be met with a harsher punishment.

Community service for the boys will also be possible, Kinder said, probably over the summer, as he said he heard the rec park board mentioning desire for the boys to clean the park as restitution.

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Jonathan Wright

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