- 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.
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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.
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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.
