A planned night of celebration in New Jersey nearly turned into a scene of potential tragedy, but swift law enforcement action averted disaster.
Onil Compres Rodriguez, 21, of Miami, pleaded guilty Friday to transmitting threats through interstate communications, a federal felony, after sending menacing messages targeting a New Jersey high school’s junior prom in 2024.
During his court hearing, Compres Rodriguez admitted that on April 30, 2024, he used social media platforms to send a chilling series of direct messages.
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These messages, sent to various accounts including those linked to New Jersey schools, contained explicit threats such as: “I will kill everyone,” and “they should never have hurt me.”
He specifically referenced the upcoming event, writing, “See you on May 2 at the junior prom . . . I will be charged for the damage they did to me,” adding ominously, “Wear your bulletproof vests there will be a lot of blood hahaha.”
To underscore his threats, Compres Rodriguez attached two disturbing photographs to his messages: one showing an invitation to the specific New Jersey high school prom scheduled for May 2, 2024, and another depicting three firearms alongside ammunition.
The alarming messages were quickly reported to authorities. An investigation led by the FBI Miami Field Office successfully traced the threats back to Compres Rodriguez in Miami. In a critical development on May 2, 2024 – the very day of the prom – investigators learned Compres Rodriguez had just booked a flight from Miami International Airport to Newark, New Jersey.
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Coordinated law enforcement, including FBI Newark, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clifton Police Department, were waiting when his flight landed in Newark. Compres Rodriguez was arrested immediately upon arrival, ensuring he never reached the prom location.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne announced the guilty plea for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami.
Compres Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno in Miami on June 25, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hannah is prosecuting the case.
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