California teenager admits to making hundreds of hoax emergency calls
A California teenager has admitted to making hundreds of swatting calls - hoax emergency calls - over a two-year period, creating "fear and chaos" when police responded to his false reports of bomb threats and mass shootings at schools, homes and houses of worship, federal prosecutors said.
Alan Filion, 18, of Lancaster, Calif., pleaded guilty to four counts of interstate transmission of threats in a plea deal approved by the U.S District Court in Orlando, Fla. He is in a Florida jail awaiting sentencing.
Filion's attorney, Dan Eckhart of Orlando, declined comment on the plea deal.
Filion was accused of making more than 375 hoax calls from August 2022-January 2024, some in a "swatting-for-a-fee service" he advertised online using false internet handles, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement on Wednesday.
For a fee of about US$75, Filion promised to place calls that would cause police to drag victims into the streets in handcuffs "as they searched the house for dead bodies," the statement said.
Among the charges, Filion pleaded guilty to making a call in May 2023 to police in Sanford, Fla., targeting a mosque, court records and media accounts show. During the call, he said he planned to conduct a mass shooting in the name of Satan, and had an AR-15 assault-style rifle and pipe bombs. During the call, audio recordings of gunfire played in the background.
The DOJ and FBI tracked Filion down, arrested him at his California home earlier this year and extradited him to Florida.
Even though he made his first swatting call when he was 16, Filion was charged as an adult.
He could spend the next 20 years behind bars and faces a US$1 million fine after admitting to making the calls, prosecutors said. Each count carries a five-year sentence and a fine of US$250,000.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in February.
(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta, Editing by Frances Kerry)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatens to cut off energy to U.S. in response to Trump's tariffs
Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened to cut off energy supply to the U.S. in response to the tariffs President-elect Donald Trump plans to impose on all Canadian imports.
Elon Musk calls Justin Trudeau 'insufferable tool' in new social media post
Billionaire Elon Musk is calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'an insufferable tool' in a new social media post on Wednesday. 'Won't be in power for much longer,' Musk also wrote about the prime minister on 'X.'
Trudeau will have to 'kiss the ring' to achieve smoother bilateral relations with Trump: John Bolton
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants to get on U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's good side for the sake of a smooth bilateral relationship, he'll likely have to be openly deferential, says former U.S. National Security Advisor, John Bolton.
Banks lower prime rates following Bank of Canada move
Canadian financial institutions are lowering their prime lending rates to match the decrease announced by the Bank of Canada.
Police locate labyrinth of tunnels connecting tents to generator in Hamilton encampment
Hamilton police say that they discovered a series of 'man-made holes and tunnels' during a patrol of a downtown encampment earlier this week.
Luxury real estate brokers charged in federal indictment with sex trafficking in NYC
Two luxury real estate brokers and their brother have been charged with luring, drugging and violently raping dozens of women over more than a decade.
Certain foods may disrupt your body's fight against cancer cells, study says
The food you eat may be affecting your body’s ability to fight cancer cells in the colon, according to a new study.
What happens next with Alex Jones' Infowars? No certainty yet after sale to The Onion is rejected
The Onion's rejected purchase of Infowars in an auction bid supported by families of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting dealt them a new setback Wednesday and clouded the future of Alex Jones' conspiracy theory platform, which is now poised to remain in his control for at least the near future.
Canada Post strike: Talks deadlocked as sides clash on wages
Negotiations between Canada Post and the union representing its workers appear to be in a deadlock as the two sides remain far apart on wages and other issues.
Local Spotlight
North Pole post: N.S. firefighters collect letters to Santa, return them by hand during postal strike
Fire departments across Nova Scotia are doing their part to ensure children’s letters to Santa make their way to the North Pole while Canada Post workers are on strike.
'Creatively incredible': Regina raised talent featured in 'Wicked' film
A professional dancer from Saskatchewan was featured in the movie adaptation of Wicked, which has seen significant success at the box office.
Montreal man retiring early after winning half of the $80 million Lotto-Max jackpot
Factor worker Jean Lamontagne, 63, will retire earlier than planned after he won $40 million on Dec. 3 in the Lotto-Max draw.
Man, 99, still at work 7 decades after opening eastern Ontario Christmas tree farm
This weekend is one of the busiest of the year for Christmas tree farms all over the region as the holidays approach and people start looking for a fresh smell of pine in their homes.
Saskatoon honours Bella Brave with birthday celebration
It has been five months since Bella Thompson, widely known as Bella Brave to her millions of TikTok followers, passed away after a long battle with Hirschsprung’s disease and an auto-immune disorder.
Major Manitoba fossil milestones highlight the potential for future discoveries in the province
A trio of fossil finds through the years helped put Manitoba on the mosasaur map, and the milestone of those finds have all been marked in 2024.
The 61st annual Christmas Daddies Telethon raises more than $559,000 for children in need
The 61st annual Christmas Daddies Telethon continued its proud Maritime tradition, raising more than $559,000 for children in need on Saturday.
Calgary company steps up to help grieving family with free furnace after fatal carbon monoxide poisoning
A Calgary furnace company stepped up big time Friday to help a Calgary family grieving the loss of a loved one.
'A well-loved piece': Historic carousel display from Hudson’s Bay Company store lands at Winnipeg shop
When a carousel setup from the Hudson’s Bay Company became available during an auction, a Winnipeg business owner had to have it.