Suspended janitor charged with issuing threats
CALIFORNIA – A suspended school janitor is facing multiple charges after he allegedly threatened to harm teachers, students and administrators at California Area High School. California police Chief Richard Encapera said Michael L. Tiernan, 53, of Daisytown, who has worked at the school as a janitor for more than a decade, was charged Thursday before Magisterial District Judge Joshua P. Kanalis with terroristic threats and harassment following the incident. Encapera said that while Tiernan was working at the school, he began to harass other employees in February.
The alleged harassment occurred until sometime in April when Tiernan was suspended from his job by the school district pending an arbitration hearing.
Encapera said that prior to his suspension, Tiernan allegedly told co-workers that if he loses his job, “nobody is coming out of this building alive.”
Encapera did not divulge the specifics of the alleged harassment by Tiernan and said Friday that he did not know what caused Tiernan to threaten the school.
Tiernan was released on $2,500 unsecured bond following his arraignment.
Kanalis imposed multiple restrictions on Tiernan as part of his bond agreement, including no contact with school employees and no access to the high school.
A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled before Kanalis at 9:30 a.m. Monday.
Tiernan has no prior criminal record.