Ashton Connor Garcia, 21, of Bremerton, Washington, was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, for a multistate series of “swatting” hoaxes.
Dubbed a “cyberterrorist,” which he thought was funny, Garcia eventually confessed to “20 false reports of bombs and shootings around the U.S. and in Canada,” ABC News said (here).
But his crimes went beyond “swatting.” He also committed extortion. He collected personal information on intended targets, then threatened to “swat” them unless they sent him “money, credit card information or sexually explicit images.” One of those extortions was a threat to bomb a Los Angeles airport unless they paid $200,000.
Garcia bragged about being a “professional swatter” in online chat rooms. That was a mistake, because other users turned him in to an FBI tip line. Now his life is ruined. He’ll be an ex-felon for the rest of his life. His criminal record will follow him wherever he goes, barring him from any employment requiring a background check. Luckily no one got hurt, or he’d be like this guy.