Ryan ChartrandCorrection: It was incorrectly stated that landscape architecture professor Joseph Ragsdale filed the charge of criminal threats against Francisco Diaz. Ragsdale submitted information about the threatening e-mails to police which was then used in the investigation.
Computer engineering freshman Francisco Diaz plead no contest Wednesday morning to felony charges after he was accused of sending threatening e-mails to more than 50 Cal Poly students and faculty in October 2007.
The plea bargain, while technically not a guilty plea, means Diaz neither admits nor disputes the charges of criminal threats and unlawful access to a computer and fraud.
His felony probation, which could last three to five years, states that he is to spend up to 90 days in the county jail. His sentencing is set for June 2.
Judge Dodie Harman dismissed the remaining two counts of criminal threats and one count of unlawful access to a computer and fraud originally charged against him.
Police arrested Diaz Oct. 30, 2007 on suspicion of sending e-mails that stated the sender was planning an attack on Cal Poly students and faculty similar to incidents at Virginia Tech in April 2007. Diaz posted his $50,000 bail the following day.
An online message allegedly sent from Diaz in November 2007 to the Mustang Daily said Diaz was sorry for sending the e-mails and that they were meant to be a Halloween prank.
Diaz will be placed on felony probation for up to three years and eight months.