Winslow Township

A report by a psychologist described the youth as "very compliant," and suggested that his release from incarceration would be appropriate. He will be on probation until he is 18 years old.

The youth, who has completed 10th grade and maintained honor status at Training School for Boys at Jamesburg, will enter an alternative high school in September, said his attorney Mark Molz.

"I messed up," the youth told Superior Court Judge Angelo DiCamillo at the hearing.

"I want to go home with my family, finish school and get good grades and graduate."

"Additional arrests are possible," said acting Camden County Prosecutor Joshua Ottenberg. He said an investigation continues into the menacing notes, which named at least two students and were found in several locations in the school earlier this month.

The youth arrested Friday is charged with making terrorist threats and false public alarm. Authorities said he was involved in the "presentation or display" of multiple notes.

He said he did it because he was bullied. He said that he did it because his new friends offered him protection, and that he never meant to massacre teachers and students.

He said he did it because he was scared and now knows better.

But in the end, a judge yesterday sentenced a 15-year-old Winslow Township youth to three years in a state juvenile facility, saying that he wasn't convinced the teen had been rehabilitated and that he still needs intense psychological treatment.

Standing before State Superior Court Judge Angelo DiCamillo, the slight youth stood in a gray suit and striped tie and said he didn't have the stomach for murder.

"I would have never done it, I'll tell you that," said the teen, whose name is being withheld because of his age.

DiCamillo asked the boy how he had come to be a part of the plot. His friend Edwin DeLeon approached him "and asked me if I wanted to do it, and was I interested. I agreed and said yes," the teen said.

The boy maintained that he agreed only to be accepted. "I kind of really wanted to be with that crowd. They were the cool kids to me at that time. I wasn't fitting in. If I said yes, they'd accept me."

Addressing the court, the youth's father said the boy had been a target of bullying since fifth grade and had suffered a broken collarbone and eye orbit at the hands of other children. He had been picked on for years, but his new friends offered him something he had never had before: the chance to fit in, the chance to be safe.

When his son began hanging around the two older boys - DeLeon, 15, and Peter Cunningham, 16 - they had already concocted the plot, the father said. "Suddenly, nobody bothered him," he said. "I understood why he said yes."

The boy said he wished he could start over again. "I'm very remorseful of what I've done. I wish I could take it all back. I was very immature, I had immature thoughts and feelings."

The judge agreed, and said that there were lingering effects in the community. "People are afraid to go to school," he said. "People have refused to go back to school."

DiCamillo said that the New Jersey State Training School for Boys in Jamesburg would be the best place for the teen, and that although his sentence was longer than those of DeLeon and Cunningham, who will both be eligible for parole in about a year, he would consider lightening the boy's term in six months.

Former Winslow Township High School student Peter Cunningham, 16, was sentenced this morning to five years in New Jersey state prison for his role in a conspiracy to shoot students and faculty at the high school last spring.

A Hammonton youth was sentenced yesterday to three years' probation for his involvement in a guns-and-terror plot at Winslow Township High School.

State Superior Court Judge Angelo DiCamillo said David Cruz Jr., 16, had only "a minimal level" of involvement in four youths' plan to initiate a food fight during a fourth-period lunch, then execute students and teachers from a "hit list."

The alleged ringleader, Edwin DeLeon, 15, of Winslow, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm. He waived his case to adult court earlier this month, and faces a six-year prison term at his sentencing in October.

James Whelan, 15, also of Winslow, pleaded guilty to gun charges in juvenile court. He faces three years in a youth facility.

Winslow resident Peter Cunningham, 16, faces five years in state prison after pleading guilty to gun conspiracy charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced in September.

His lawyer has denied that the boy took part in the plot and said he believed the plans were a joke.

I have known Peter Cunningham for several years now. He and my sons were friends. As with most things the whole truth has not been told. Peter Cunningham was not a ringleader that falls squarely on the shoulders of the 14-year-old. Peter was a well liked kid that was not picked on by the other students. His problems arose from his home life. His parents threw him out on more than one occassion, constantly accused him of being high despite drug test results to the opposite and generally treated the boy like garbage. He was always blamed for whatever his younger siblings did wrong because his parents repeatedly told him he was a bad influence on them. His sister is now locked up for being a chronic runaway and thief. His mother refuses to visit him or his sister. She wants to sell her home and move to a smaller place since she now has only one child as far as she is concerned.

It seems to me that Pete was lashing out at his parents rather than at students that were cruel to him.(as I said he was rather popular) It is true that the 14-year-old (the originator of the plan) and one of the 15-year-olds were ridiculed on a regular basis. When Peter began hanging out with these two he dropped all his other friends and really went off the deep end. Despite his parents willingness to blame Peter for his siblings transgressions his father steadfastly blames the other boys for what his son has admitted to doing. His father refused to allow him to stay in juvenile court because he would have a chance for parole as an adult but as a minor he would not.This was done even though there is no promise of parole. While in the juvenile detention center he has been in trouble several times causing him to lose privileges. His father did not care that his son was going to an adult prison because he felt that it was better that he has a slim chance of parole but in juvenile court he would have to do all the time no matter what. As a minor his record would be expunged but now this will be over his head for life.

The truth is that Peter (as well as his parents) need serious mental help not jail.

Family court hearings for two of four teenagers accused of plotting to kill fellow students and faculty at Winslow Township High School have been continued until Aug. 10.

No testimony or legal arguments were put on the record today during proceedings before Superior Court Judge Angelo DiCamillo.

The two teens, a 15-year-old from Hammonton who is on house arrest and a 14-year-old from Winslow who remains detained at the Camden County Youth Center, are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and make terroristic threats.

A third teen, a 15-year-old Winslow resident, also remains in the Camden County Youth Center facing the same charges. The Camden County prosecutor's request to transfer charges against that juvenile to adult court is pending.

A fourth person --- Peter V. Cunningham, 16, of Winslow --- pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm for an unlawful purpose.

The plea agreement limits Cunningham's sentence to five years in state prison. Because it does not include a parole bar, he could be eligible for release in May 2007.

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) _ A 16-year-old boy on Tuesday admitted his role in a plot to open fire at a Camden County high school earlier this year.

Peter Cunningham, 16, of Winslow Township, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm for an unlawful purpose. Under a plea agreement with prosecutors, he will be sentenced to five years in state prison.

He is to be sentenced on Sept. 15 and could be eligible for parole in about a year and a half _ a considerable break from the 25 years in prison he could have faced if convicted by a jury on all counts.

In exchange for his help, prosecutors dropped charges of conspiracy to commit murder, making terroristic threats and conspiracy to make terroristic threats.

Cunningham, the oldest of the alleged plotters, agreed to cooperate with authorities as they prosecute three other teenagers who were arrested in April after school officials uncovered the alleged plot. He also agreed to turn over some documents and other materials related to the alleged plot and to "Goth" culture.

In exchange for his help, prosecutors dropped charges of conspiracy to commit murder, making terroristic threats and conspiracy to make terroristic threats.

Cunningham agreed to plead guilty in adult criminal court, which means he will serve his prison sentence in adult prison instead of a youth facility.

One of four high school teenagers who authorities say plotted to kill students and faculty at Winslow Township High School has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Peter Cunningham, 16, of Winslow, agreed this morning to voluntarily waive his status as a juvenile.

He then was escorted to Camden County Superior Court, where he was to appear before Superior Court Presiding Criminal Judge Linda Baxter later today.

Details of the plea agreement were expected to be outlined at that time.

A conviction in adult court carries a maximum 20 years in prison. A conviction in family court carries a maximum four years in a juvenile facility.