- Alan Filion, 18, was sentenced to four years in prison for making 375 swatting calls. Filion targeted schools, religious institutions and government officials.
- Filion engaged in these criminal acts for both profit and amusement, even offering his swatting services on social media.
- The Secret Service and FBI tracked Filion’s activities before his arrest. Many of the incidents occurred when he was 16 years old.
Full Story
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said a California teenager has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to making 375 swatting calls that targeted public institutions across the U.S. Alan Filion, 18, admitted to making fake threats of mass shootings and bombings between August 2022 and January 2024.
Alan Filion pleads guilty
Filion targeted high schools, colleges, religious institutions and government officials, used fake names and fabricated crime scenarios to initiate law enforcement interventions. Some of the incidents led to armed police officers responding, weapons drawn, or detaining individuals.
Point phone camera here
Swatting, a practice in which individuals falsely report emergencies to prompt law enforcement or emergency medical responses, can result in severe legal consequences.
Swatting for profit and entertainment
Filion, who engaged in the criminal activity for both fun and financial gain, even advertised his services on social media for a fee. The Secret Service and FBI tracked his activities for several months before his arrest, tied to a swatting call made to a Florida mosque in 2023. He made claims he had an illegally modified AR-15, a Glock 17 pistol, pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails, according to the DOJ.
Filion faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison but received a four-year term as part of a plea agreement. Federal authorities believe Filion committed most of the crimes when he was 16 years old.
[Lauren Taylor]
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SAYS A TEENAGER SPENT TWO YEARS ON A SWATTING SPREE–CALLING IN FAKE SHOOTINGS AND BOMB THREATS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
A JUDGE SENTENCED 18-YEAR-OLD ALAN FILION TO FOUR YEARS IN PRISON ON TUESDAY.
THE CALIFORNIA TEEN PLEADED GUILTY TO MAKING 375 SWATTING CALLS, INTENTIONALLY CREATING CHAOS AND DRAWING LARGE RESPONSES FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY TEAMS.
THE TERM “SWATTING” REFERS TO WHEN SOMEONE PRANK CALLS EMERGENCY SERVICES LIKE 911 TO BRING AN ARMED LAW ENFORCEMENT OR EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE TO ANOTHER ADDRESS. THE PRACTICE CAN RESULT IN CONVICTIONS OF UP TO LIFE IN PRISON IN SOME JURISDICTIONS.
FEDERAL AUTHORITIES SAY FILION TARGETED HIGH SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, USING MADE-UP NAMES AND FAKE CRIMES TO TRIGGER PANIC WHEN NO TRUE EMERGENCY EXISTS.
THE DOJ SAYS SOME OF THE CALLS RESULTED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT PULLING OUT THEIR WEAPONS OR DETAINING PEOPLE WHERE FILLION TARGETED HIS THREATS.
THE INVESTIGATION FOUND FILION BECAME A “SERIAL SWATTER,” ENGAGING IN THESE CALLS FOR BOTH PROFIT AND FUN. HE EVEN POSTED ABOUT HIS ACTIVITIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND OFFERED HIS SWATTING SERVICES FOR A FEE.
FROM AUGUST 2022 TO JANUARY 2024, THE SECRET SERVICE AND FBI TRACKED HIS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
FILION WAS ARRESTED AFTER MAKING A THREAT TO COMMIT A MASS SHOOTING AT A FLORIDA MOSQUE, PROMISING TO “KILL EVERYONE” HE SAW.
IN NOVEMBER–A PLEA AGREEMENT WAS REACHED, FILLION ADMITTING TO FOUR COUNTS OF MAKING INTERSTATE THREATS TO CAUSE INJURY. HE FACED A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 20 YEARS IN PRISON.
FEDERAL AUTHORITIES BELIEVE MOST OF THESE CALLS WERE MADE WHEN FILION WAS SIXTEEN YEARS OLD.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR
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