2 UGA students face charges in Halloween robbery prank

<p>Two University of Georgia students are facing charges after a Halloween night prank prompted a call to police.</p><p>A group of students had gathered at a cemetery to tell ghost stories when two hooded people posing as robbers showed up wielding toy pellet guns.</p><p>But a couple leaving the cemetery saw the scene and called 911 to report a robbery.</p><p>The pranksters were not in costume but pulled hoods over their heads and carried toy guns that shoot plastic pellets. The guns are sold with orange paint on the muzzle to show they are fakes, but someone painted over the orange muzzle, UGA Police Chief Jimmy Williamson said.</p><p>The friend of the fake robbers even gave up his wallet, Williamson said. Nine witnesses told police they thought the prank was an actual robbery, he said.</p><p>Police arrested the pair on several charges, but not for armed robbery because the victim declined to press robbery charges, Williamson said.</p><p>Police charged Rajesh Joshi, 21, and Richard Donnellan, 20, with felony possession of a weapon on school property and disorderly conduct. Donnellan also was charged with possession of a fake ID and reckless conduct because an officer was cut by an open knife in the student's pocket while searching him, Williamson said.</p><p>The two were brought to jail but were released on bond Wednesday afternoon.</p><p>Williamson said the students' prank could have had serious consequences. Police officers _ believing they were dealing with armed robbers _ could have shot the two students, he said.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1cd9c7c)</p>