Lauren RabainoCal Poly computer engineering freshman Francisco Diaz appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to felony charges of making criminal threats and computer access and fraud on Oct. 30 when police said he sent out more than 50 threatening e-mails to Cal Poly students and faculty.
Dressed in a suit and tie while sitting with his family, Diaz, 18, was arraigned on three felony counts of criminal threats and two felony counts of computer access and fraud.
Judge Dodie Harman issued a court order stating that Diaz cannot come within 100 yards of the three victims charging him with criminal threats.
Cornel Morton, Vice President for Student Affairs, said that Cal Poly has yet to initiate action regarding the defendant’s status as a student until his court proceedings are finished.
Police arrested Diaz Oct. 30 on campus four hours after the e-mails were sent. Diaz posted his $50,000 bail the following day.
The alleged e-mail, which was forwarded to the Mustang Daily from multiple anonymous sources, stated the sender was planning an attack on Cal Poly students and faculty similar to the shooting at Virginia Tech.
A Facebook message sent to the Mustang Daily from Diaz’s high school friend and Cal Poly electrical engineering freshman Favian Mora said Diaz was sorry for sending the e-mails and that they were meant to be a Halloween prank.
Diaz is scheduled to appear in court for a pre-preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 10.