As kids, most of us participated in pranks. Whether it was toilet papering at the neighbor's house on Halloween or making prank phone calls in silly voices, pranking is a childhood pastime for most. Unfortunately, sometimes pranks go too far. Swatting is an illegal and potentially deadly form of pranking in which someone makes a fake report to emergency services, leading a SWAT team to be deployed to an unsuspecting victim's home.

Swatting is a federal crime that authorities, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Justice, take incredibly seriously. The consequences can ruin your life, even if you are making a joke or threat by social media or text. If you face federal swatting charges, you likely have a long, complicated legal battle ahead. When the authorities allege you have committed a swatting crime, the LLF Law Firm can help. The LLF Law Firm has successfully defended numerous clients targeted in federal swatting cases. You don't have time to wait; call us at 888-535-3686 or contact us online.

A Recent Swatting Case on the East Coast

Three members of an online group called "Purgatory" have been charged with federal charges following a series of swatting incidents throughout the country. The men who have been accused are Owen Jarboe from Hagerstown, Maryland, Evan Strauss from Moneta, Virginia, and Brayden Grace from Columbus, Ohio. Purgatory is a network of individuals coordinating swatting actions using social media platforms. The defendants planned their swatting activities and broadcasted their occurrence to other Purgatory members on Telegram, Instagram, and other social media platforms.

The defendants made several calls to police and emergency services all over the United States over about a month in December 2023 and January 2024. The charges against them are conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and making threats to damage or destroy property using fire and explosives. The incidents for which the defendants are facing charges include, but are not limited to:

• Threatening to burn down a trailer park in Alabama
• Threatening to shoot a teacher and students at a Delaware high school
• Making bomb and shooting threats to the Albany International Airport in New York
• Making bomb and shooting threats to an Ohio casino
• Threatening to commit multiple homicides and shootings against individuals in Eastman, Georgia

What Is the Punishment for Swatting?

Jarboe, Strauss, and Grace are each facing up to five years in prison for each instance of conspiracy, cyberstalking, and interstate threats. Each of their counts, threatening to damage or destroy property using fire and explosives, carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. If a person is injured due to a swatting incident, jail and probation time can increase exponentially, leaving you with thousands of dollars in fines.

Hiring a Criminal Defense Attorney in Your Swatting Case

Swatting is a serious crime, and you need the best possible criminal defense attorneys on your side. The seasoned LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team is well-versed in federal swatting laws and will fight to defend your innocence. Learn how our Criminal Defense Team can help you by calling 888-535-3686 or completing our online form.