He called it a prank, and it seems a lot of the teenagers call it that. Which is a big problem.
I'm actually not sure what the criminal penalty is, and if it varies a lot by jurisdiction, but if ever there was a "prank" that needed to be classified a felony with at least some mandatory prison time, if only 30 days to have bubba scare the crap out of them, it's this. Murder at least in the third degree if someone is killed.
If no one is hurt or killed, then maybe a misdemeanor with a bajillon hours of community service or a hefty fine.