Former Donna students get probation after planning school shooting at high school

DONNA, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Two former Donna High School students were sentenced Tuesday after admitting to planning a school shooting in 2022.

Barbarito Guillermo Pantoja, 19, and Nathaniel Seth Montelongo, 19, were sentenced to 10 years of probation after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit capital murders of multiple persons, Hidalgo County records show.

_{Left: Barbarito Pantoja - Right: Nathaniel Seth Montelongo (ValleyCentral / Gabriela Moreno)}

On May 24, 2022, a detective with the Donna Police Department received an anonymous tip of two suspects who were planning a school shooting at Donna High School.

The next day, the detective followed up on the tip, where he interviewed Montelongo at the high school, a probable cause affidavit stated.

"Montelongo confirmed the legitimacy of the threat by implicating himself in the preparation and provided a detailed explanation of his role in the planned execution of a school shooting at the Donna High School," the affidavit stated.

The shooting was scheduled to take place on Friday, June 3, 2022, he told authorities.

Montelongo indicated that he, along with Pantoja and a juvenile, were going to enter the school on the last day and shoot multiple people with firearms, the document stated.

Officers with Donna ISD police then detained Pantoja and transported him to the police department, where he was interviewed. Pantoja confirmed Montelongo's statement, and added that there was an additional juvenile involved.

Barbarito Pantoja (Hidalgo County Jail records)

Nathaniel Montelongo (Hidalgo County Jail)

Police searched Pantoja's residence, where they discovered "documents pertinent to the planning and execution of the school shooting," the affidavit stated.

While police detained the additional juvenile suspects, they recovered a rifle and body armor. The juveniles, who remain unnamed due to their age, confirmed both Montelongo's and Pantoja's statements.

The indictment stated that Montelongo and Pantoja conducted reconnaissance and mapped out a layout of the school, obtained or attempted to obtain firearms and developed a plan to carry out the shooting.

Some of the conditions of their probation include:

• Avoiding any crimes
• Avoid "vicious habits"
• Avoid persons or places of harmful character
• Remain within the limits of Hidalgo County unless given permission
• Avoid bars and taverns
• Avoid use of alcohol and drugs
• Complete anger management sessions
• Avoid all social media during the entire period of the community supervision.

The two teenagers must also obey a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., and are not allowed to possess any firearms. They were also ordered to serve 320 hours of community service.