Utah teen in failed backpack bomb attack takes plea deal

Utah teen in failed backpack bomb attack takes plea deal

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A teenager who authorities accused of trying to blow up a homemade backpack bomb at a southern Utah high school after watching Islamic State propaganda has taken a plea deal.

The Spectrum newspaper in St. George reports that that the 17-year-old boy pleaded guilty Friday to one felony count of having an incendiary device and will be sentenced in adult court. He had initially pleaded not guilty to felony attempted murder and using a weapon of mass destruction, but those charges were dropped as part of the agreement.

The Associated Press is not naming the defendant because he is a minor.

The teenager was arrested in March 2018 after the incident at Pine View High in St. George. He told police he wanted to cause fear in his community.

He will get a psychological evaluation as part of the plea deal.