Charges filed for 45 students allegedly involved in Sequim High School senior prank

Prosecutor recommends community service, apology letters, some restitution

By Matthew Nash • October 8, 2025 5:30 am
Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash Clallam County Prosecutor Mark Nichols recommends community service hours, written apologies, and some restitution for 45 students allegedly involved in the senior prank last June inside Sequim High School’s H-Building. Students were not charged with any felonies and will appear in District Court, Juvenile Court, Diversion Program, and in an informal Diversion Program through the Prosecutor’s Office.
Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash Clallam County Prosecutor Mark Nichols recommends community service hours, written apologies, and some restitution for 45 students allegedly involved in the senior prank last June inside Sequim High School’s H-Building. Students were not charged with any felonies and will appear in District Court, Juvenile Court, Diversion Program, and in an informal Diversion Program through the Prosecutor’s Office.

Updated 10/8 to include clarifications on charges.

Resolutions are forthcoming for 45 former students allegedly involved in the June senior prank at Sequim High School.

Clallam County Prosecutor Mark Nichols said charges have been filed for the graduated seniors, then 17 and 18 years old, and his staff recommended that through the county’s Diversion Program, Juvenile Court, and District Court they be required to perform various hours of community service and write apology letters to school officials and the community. Five students are also recommended to pay restitution for damages to the school district for allegedly throwing eggs inside and outside the school building.

Nichols said he recommended that eight students who returned to help staff and fellow students clean up the mess not be required to do community service because “they showed an effort to make amends regardless if they made the mess.”

While the Sequim Police Department forwarded misdemeanor and felony charges for the different students, Nichols said he did not file felony charges for any student.

June 1 incident

According to Sequim Police Department, the 45 students, then seniors, gained unauthorized access to the school’s H-Building around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 1 with five students seen smashing eggs inside two classrooms and outside the building.

One student allegedly wrote a derogatory slur on a whiteboard inside the Life Skills classroom, and others were smoking marijuana, but those allegations were not forwarded, police detectives report.

Sequim School District staff said the vandalism didn’t cause permanent damage, but Det. Sgt. Darrell Nelson reported that the total clean up cost the district about $1,100.

School started on time Monday, June 2 after staff and students helped clean the building, he said.

All students allegedly involved in the incident were allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony that week.

Sequim School District Superintendent Regan Nickels wrote in a June 6 email to parents and graduating seniors that the students were allowed to walk after initial punishments were implemented, as there were some procedural errors in the disciplinary process following pressures to clean the building, review security footage, conduct interviews, and meet with families.

“Upon district review, it became clear that some disciplinary actions were not fully supported by a sound and complete process. As a result, certain initial decisions have been revised,” Nickels wrote.

She added that “during this time in which we are asking our students to accept accountability, we must also hold ourselves to that same standard.”

“While school-based consequences have changed for some students, this does not affect any legal outcomes that may result from the ongoing investigation by the Sequim Police Department,” Nickels wrote.

Large case

The police and prosecutor’s office worked on charges and paperwork through the summer after detectives initially sent charges to Nichols in mid-July.

Police Chief Mike Hill confirmed this is the largest number of individuals the Sequim Police Department has referred for a single case.

He said the police department “committed a significant amount of time and effort to thoroughly investigate the acts of vandalism.”

“We appreciate the cooperation of school officials, students, parents, and community members throughout this process,” he said.

Nichols said the case is unique in that in his two decades with the county, he couldn’t think of a single event bringing so many individuals for potential charges.

The 45 students make up about one-fourth of Sequim High School’s Class of 2025.

Nichols said that, because of the number of individuals, there was a lot of work behind the scenes for he and Tracey Lassus, deputy prosecuting attorney assigned to juvenile court, to review at a “granular level.”

He said they wanted to follow the Juvenile Justice Act (RCW 13.40.010) to balance keeping the students accountable and address rehabilitation “as an ideal for these youthful individuals as they embark on their next stage of life.”

Nichols said some students had recently turned 18 with most having no previous criminal record, so he felt it was appropriate to treat them equally as their peers.

He said that while they didn’t want to throw the book at the students, they wanted there to be accountability so the young people could hopefully learn a lesson and not repeat the behavior.

“What’s heartening to me is that there were kids and young adults who showed up to right the situation after the fact,” Nichols said.

“That’s not something we see often. It was encouraging and instills hope in me.”

Charges filed

Here are the charging recommendations for 45 students:

• 26 young adults (18-plus) are given the option of an informal diversion in the Prosecutor’s Office in lieu of being charged with criminal trespass.

Recommendation: 10 hours of community service each for a nonprofit, apology letters to the school, school district, and community.*

• 13 juveniles (age 17) referred to the Diversion Program for consideration by the Community Accountability Board in lieu of being charged with criminal trespass.

Recommendation: 10 hours each of community service each for a nonprofit, apology letters to the school, school district, and community.*

* Nichols is not recommending community service for the eight juvenile and young adult students who returned to help clean up the school.

• One young adult that allegedly stole the keys to enter the building is charged with criminal trespass in the first degree and theft in the third degree in District Court.

Recommendation: 48 hours of community service, apology letters to the school, school district, and community, and $200 restitution to the school.

• Five individuals who allegedly threw eggs are charged with criminal trespass in the first degree and malicious mischief in the third degree. (One student, a juvenile with prior criminal history, will be seen in Juvenile Court; two young adults have prior criminal history and will be seen in District Court; and two young adults with no criminal history will be seen through the informal Diversion process with the Prosecutor’s Office).

Recommendation: Each student must complete 48 hours of community service, write apology letters, and pay $200 in restitution to the school district.

Under state law, first-time juvenile offenders with potential misdemeanour charges are referred to the Diversion Program. If the juveniles opt not to follow the Diversion Program’s recommendations, then the Prosecutor’s Office can file the charges in court.

Note: As no felony charges were filed, the Gazette is not releasing names of any students involved. Diversion cases are also private.