At least 10 students from Hilmar High School are facing criminal charges when a senior prank ran afoul of the law.

According to the Merced County Sheriff’s Department, the students have been charged with vandalism and trespassing after they broke into the high school and moved desks around.

Sheriff spokesman Deputy Tom Mackenzie said the students manipulated the locks on classroom windows and entered the school late Thursday night. The students proceeded to relocate 90 desks onto the football and baseball field, as well as the roof of the cafeteria, he said.

MacKenzie said the school has had several recent “pranks” and officials were growing weary of them.

“School officials were tired of it and wanted to make a stand,” he said.

The charges against the teens — nine seniors and one junior — are misdemeanors and they were released to their parents, MacKenzie said.

It is not known what kind of punishment the school was doling out to the students. A call to Hilmar High School’s principal was unreturned as of press time. A person answering the phones at the Hilmar Unified School District said the issue had still not been resolved at the end of the school day and would not elaborate any further.

To contact Sabra Stafford, e-mail sstafford@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2002.