Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - Homeland Security has joined numerous local agencies with a search of Covina High School after a series of threats were made against the campus Wednesday.

The calls sounded like prerecorded messages sent to both the school, 463 S. Hollenbeck Ave., and the Covina Police Department. Covina Police began fielding the calls around 9:30 a.m., according to Lt. Josh Turner of the Covina Police Department.

The threats indicated there would be explosions at the school. Covina Police fielded recurring calls over a 10 to 15-minute span, Turner told SGV CityWatch.

Only a handful of teachers and administrators remain on campus.

Roughly eight bomb-sniffing K9s are assisting. The Los Angeles County Fire Department is also assisting along with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Pasadena Police, San Gabriel Police and California Highway Patrol, Turner told SGV CityWatch.

Detectives are trying to pinpoint the location of the calls.

COVINA - Investigators are seeking additional victims of a man who they allege extorted illicit images and video from teen victims and threatened violence if they didn’t comply.

Joel Villegas, 34, allegedly posed as a 17-year-old on Instagram under the name Jay Gomez and username “jay_the_big_beast.” Villegas allegedly asked to exchange phone numbers and GPS locations with the teens and threatened them afterwards, according to the Covina Police Department.

“Once Villegas obtains the minor’s home GPS location, he will demand explicit images and videos from the minor. If the minor refuses, Villegas sends the victim images of firearms, and threatens violence up to murder against his victims and their families,” according to the Covina Police Department in a written statement.

A search warrant was served at Villegas’ home where he was arrested February 9. 

Villegas was booked on suspicion of possessing child porn, criminal threats and extortion, according to the Covina Police Department.

Villegas posted $50,000 bond.

If you or your child have been contacted by this Instagram account or have additional information, you are urged to call Covina Police Detective Seok Lee 626-384-5615. Reference incident #21-25484.

COVINA - Four teens were arrested Wednesday after a feud between students of the Charter Oak Unified School district devolved to a brutal fight and social media threat of further violence at Charter Oak High School.

The reported threat of violence is supposedly to take place at Charter Oak High School Friday, November 22. Covina Police and San Dimas Sheriff’s deputies will have an increased presence to ensure the safety of students and staff, the Covina Police Department said in a written statement.

Social media posts suggest that the long-standing feud would allegedly escalate to gunfire and as the posts were shared more and more, people believed a school shooting was planned, according to Lt. Ryan Davis of the Covina Police Department.

“There isn’t any specific information that we can confirm as valid at this point,” Davis said.