“Serial Swatter” California Teen Pleads Guilty for Over 375 Incidents
Federal, state, and local law enforcement around the country played a key role in bringing to justice a California teenager who’s been dubbed a “serial swatter.”
According to prosecutors, 18-year-old Alan W. Filion of Lancaster, California made more than 375 swatting and threat calls from August 2022 to January 2024.
Swatting is when a prank phone call is made to emergency services, to try and force the dispatch of a large number of armed law enforcement officers to a particular address.
Filion’s swatting targets included houses of worship, high schools, colleges/universities, government officials, and numerous other individuals. The suspect threatened to detonate bombs and/or conduct mass shootings at the locations, to provoke a large law enforcement response.
“He caused profound fear and chaos and will now face the consequences of his actions,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
Fillion, who was 16 at the time most of the calls were made, swatted for both profit and for “recreation.” Court documents show that about two years into the swatting, he decided to turn it into a business, advertising his services on social media.
“Alan Filion not only intended to cause as much harm as possible, but he also attempted to profit from these criminal activities by offering swatting-for-a-fee services,” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Swatting poses severe danger to first responders and victims, wastes significant time and resources, and creates fear in communities. The FBI will continue to work with partners to aggressively investigate and hold accountable anyone who engages in these activities."
Charges Brought
Filion was first arrested in January 2024 in California on state charges from Florida, stemming from a 2023 threat he made to a mosque in Sanford, Florida.
Filion’s federal charges were brought under the Federal Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act (JDA).
He ended up pleading guilty to four federal charges of making interstate threats to injure the person of another. In addition to making the Florida threat, Filion pleaded guilty to threatening a high school in Washington State, a Historically Black College and University in Florida, and to a police department in the Western District of Texas.
Filion faces five years in prison on each of the counts. Sentencing will take place at a later date.
The FBI and U.S. Secret Service are investigating with assistance from state and local partners around the country.
