The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

School was disrupted in Sisters last Thursday, after an unspecified threat to a Sisters school was phoned in to 911, originating from a Bend number. According to Lt. Chad Davis of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, the threat was very vague and part of a longer message.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office determined that Charles Matthew Schmiel is the person responsible for the threat made to the unnamed Sisters school on May 5. DCSO released an appeal to the public for information on Schmiel’s whereabouts.

Schmiel does not have a permanent address. He is possibly camping within the Deschutes County area, DCSO reports.

Sisters schools were placed on “secure status” on Thursday morning, with no visitors allowed onto campus and no one allowed to leave. Classes continued. Acting “out of an abundance of caution,” the school district decided about noon to send students home for the rest of the day, since law enforcement had not yet located the person making the threat. Because of that, Sisters Schools Superintendent Curt Scholl said that district officials decided to end instruction for the day.

Students returned to class on Friday. DCSO deputies responded to all Sisters schools that morning before the students and staff arrived, and performed security checks. Nothing suspicious was located during these checks. Deputies continued conducting security checks throughout the school day, and continued to have a visible presence around the local campuses.

If you know Schmiel’s location or if you have any information on his whereabouts, contact the Sheriff’s Office at 541-693-6911. Reference case 22-23618.