Police have charged a Buckhannon-Upshur High School senior with trying to hire a fellow student for $75 to beat up a boy.

The Record Delta (http://bit.ly/w2aCd9) says 18-year-Jeffrey Saltis of Buckhannon was charged Tuesday with contributing to the delinquency of a minor after soliciting a juvenile to commit battery.

Saltis remains free on $2,500 bond.

His attorney, Jerald Jones, says it was just a joke that was blown out of proportion. Jones says the situation centered on a girl Saltis is dating and her previous relationship with the intended victim.

Authorities say it's the second such incident in two months.

In January, a woman was charged with two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor after allegedly asking two female juveniles to beat up a third girl.