OXFORD, MS (abc24.com) - A 19-year-old Oxford man remained in federal custody Thursday night, after his arrest on charges he made threats to blow up Oxford High School in an online chat room.
On Thursday afternoon, a federal judge in Greensville ordered Joshua Pillault to remain in jail and undergo a mental evaluation.
"I don't think he ever guessed just chatting with somebody on the internet could lead to this type of situation," said George Lucas, Pillault's lawyer.
Pillault was arrested after a Virginia man contacted Oxford school officials after engaging in an online chat on the game website runescape.com.
"I intent to kill myself," a man with the screen name "PaulGilbert" write. Investigators say they traced the name and threat to Pillault's house in Oxford.
Pillault goes on to write, according to the transcript provided in an affidavit for his arrest, that he wants to blow up Oxford High School. He adds he needs to first buy at least two guns, backup clips, Molotov cocktails, and pipe bombs.
"If I have anything to say about it, that schools gonna be gravel," Pillault wrote.
According to the transcript, Pillault goes on to reference the massacre at Columbine High School and references the anniversary.
"Look for the last name pillault on the news 4-20-13," he writes.
"I think the evidence showed what we have is a 19-year-old popping off on the internet," Lucas said.
abc24.com showed the transcript to Dr. John McCoy, a Clinical Psychologist not affiliated with the investigation.
"It is chilling," McCoy said after reviewing the chat. "This is about as bad as it gets, I can't imagine how it could get much worse."
"Based on what I know, what you told me, what I read, the chances of him carrying that out are about 10 on a 10 point scale," he added.
"There was no evidence whatsoever of any intention to actually do anything," Lucas countered. "There was nothing found that indicated he ever had any weapons or any attempt to get weapons, so it was a 19-year-old popping off on the internet."
Lucas said Pillault would undergo a mental evaluation in the coming days. His family left the federal courtroom without comment.
