Swatting is still a problem.
A Canadian teen has plead guilty to charges relating to a nation wide swatting spree. According to The Providence newspaper, the unnamed 17-year-old systematically targeted and harassed gamers across the United States last year. He primarily targeted women and their families.
“Swatting” is a new form of harassment in which perpetrators give phony reports to law enforcement. Their intent is to trick law enforcement to send a S.W.A.T. team to arrest their victim.
The teen plead guilty last week to 12 charges including criminal harassment, extortion and public mischief. This in addition to 11 similar charges he plead guilty to previously.
According to court records, during the teen’s swatting spree, he gave fake reports of holding hostages and gave napalm and bomb threats while using the names of different victims. The teen has also been accused of publicly releasing private information of victims. The information includes their home addresses and financial information.
The teen remains in police custody after his arrest Dec. 5. His next hearing is scheduled for June 29. The judge has ordered multiple rounds of psychiatric counseling for the teen in the meantime.