LOS ANGELES — A young man from California has been sentenced to four years in prison following his involvement in a series of swatting incidents that spanned from August 2022 to January 2024. These incidents involved numerous emergency calls that targeted a variety of institutions, including a mosque in Florida, according to federal prosecutors.
Alan W. Filion, now 18, entered a guilty plea in November to multiple charges related to making interstate threats intending to harm others. The term “swatting” refers to the act of making deceitful emergency calls to prompt a significant law enforcement response, often involving heavily armed police units.
Prosecutors have revealed that Filion was responsible for more than 375 swatting and threat calls during the specified timeframe. His communications often included alarming claims, such as asserting that he had planted explosives or intended to carry out mass shootings at the identified locations.
Filion’s targets varied widely, encompassing religious institutions, high schools, colleges, government officials, and private individuals across the country. Notably, he was just 16 years old when he initiated most of these calls, residing in Lancaster, located north of Los Angeles.
In a plea deal, Filion acknowledged his role in several high-profile threats, including a notable incident in October 2022, where he contacted a public high school in Washington state. During this call, he threatened mass violence and falsely claimed to have planted bombs throughout the school grounds.
Additionally, he admitted to making a threatening phone call in May 2023 to a historically black college in Florida, where he alleged that explosives were hidden within the school’s residential buildings. Another instance involved a call made in July 2023 to a Texas police dispatch center, where he falsely impersonated a senior federal law enforcement officer. During this call, he made grave threats and claimed to have harmed the officer’s family.
The severe consequences of such reckless behavior highlight the dangers and societal costs associated with swatting incidents, which not only disrupt emergency services but can also lead to severe panic and danger for those involved. Through these actions, Filion has now faced significant legal repercussions for his alarming conduct.
