MORGANZA, Md. (WUSA9) -- "You turn around the corner and all you see is ladybugs on the lights and a bunch of lady bugs on the lights," described Jerod Gaines, a Junior at Chopticon High School.
"Walking in, seeing a bunch of lady bugs squished and lying around," said Nick Hughes.
It sounds like a movie scene but the students are describing a high school senior prank, where 72,000 ladybugs were let loose into Chopticon High School in St. Mary's County, Maryland.
Police said five of the students forced their way into the high school while another two waited in a car in the early hours of May 20, 2015. The ladybugs were apparently purchased online.
Students and school staff discovered the swarming senior prank later that morning.
"Everybody got a good laugh out of it, I don't really see what the big deal is about it," Kyle Fisher a student at the school said.
However, school officials did not find it as amusing. The seven students involved are facing charges and two of them were banned from walking at graduation according to other students at the school, who decided to protest early Tuesday.
"A lot of us thought it was unfair how they weren't allowed to walk after they worked so hard all of high school and just to have it taken away because of a harmless senior prank," said Fisher.
School officials don't see the prank as harmless. St. Mary's County Public Schools Director of Safety and Security, Mike Wyant told WUSA they expect senior pranks and measure the severity of the prank based on certain criteria, including whether there was any damage to property.
"This is moderately serious," said Wyant, "the biggest thing for me is, 3 o'clock in the morning, forcible entry into a school building …"
Officials also weigh each student's participation individually, Wyant said.
"I think it broke the AC unit, so I know about that … janitors had to come from other schools," said Hughes.
Wyant could not confirm the air conditioner but did say they had to pay for staff members to remove the bugs.
By the afternoon, Wyant confirmed only one senior will be banned from graduation. He does not think the school will budge and allow this senior to participate despite the student protest.
"Just be careful about making your decisions," he said of those looking to pull a senior prank in the future.
Four of the alleged pranksters are juveniles. Police charged them with 4th Degree Burglary, Property Destruction Under $1,000, and Disruption of School Activities. The four suspects were released to the custody of their parents after being processed.
The three remaining alleged pranksters are adult males. Police said they will be charged by criminal summons.
Students plan to protest again Tuesday night at the Board of Education meeting. They still say it is unfair only one senior is not allowed to walk.
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