Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
California Man Calls 375 Hoax Threats in Swatting Spree Will Face Prison Time
Tony tries to stay on the Website
By Anthony W. Haddad
Published 1 month ago on
February 11, 2025

A California man was sentenced on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, to four years in prison for making hundreds of hoax bomb and swatting threats nationwide. (AP File)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

An 18-year-old California man was sentenced Tuesday to four years in federal prison for making hundreds of threats, including bomb scares and swatting incidents, that targeted religious institutions, schools, government officials, and individuals nationwide, the Department of Justice announced in a news release.

Alan W. Filion, of Lancaster, admitted to making more than 375 hoax calls between August 2022 and January 2024, falsely reporting bomb placements, imminent mass shootings, and other violent acts, according to prosecutors.

His calls led to large-scale emergency responses, with armed law enforcement officers sometimes detaining residents at gunpoint, officials said.

Filion boasted online about his swatting activities, once claiming, he “usually get(s) the cops to drag the victim and their families out of the house, cuff them, and search the house for dead bodies.”

Prosecutors said he also ran a swatting-for-hire scheme, advertising his services on social media.

He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including a May 2023 threat against a religious institution in Sanford, Florida, where he falsely claimed to have firearms, explosives, and Molotov cocktails and threatened to kill everyone in sight.

Other calls included threats to a Washington state high school, a historically Black college in Florida, and a Texas law enforcement officer, the DOJ said.

Filion was arrested in January and later pleaded guilty in federal court.

Connect with Anthony W. Haddad on social media. Got a tip? Send an email

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Sentenced to 200 Years to Life for Double Homicide

DON'T MISS

River Park Farmers Market Nears Milestone: 7 Million Customers

DON'T MISS

Senate Passes Six-Month Funding Bill Hours Before Shutdown Deadline

DON'T MISS

Fresno County’s First Fentanyl Murder Trial Begins as Defense Challenges Overdose Evidence

DON'T MISS

Trump Pledges to ‘Expel Rogue Actors’ in Political Speech at Justice Department

DON'T MISS

Meet Tulare County’s New Health Officer: Dr. Asma Tariq

DON'T MISS

CA Regulator Mulls State Farm’s Request for 22% Home Insurance Hike

DON'T MISS

Fresno Council President Says It’s Not Worth Investigating ‘Rumors’ of Chavez Wrongdoing

DON'T MISS

Don’t Listen to Critics. SJ River Conservancy Is Doing Its Job

DON'T MISS

CA Borrows $3.4B to Cover Medi-Cal Budget Gap. Is Immigrant Coverage at Risk?

UP NEXT

River Park Farmers Market Nears Milestone: 7 Million Customers

UP NEXT

Senate Passes Six-Month Funding Bill Hours Before Shutdown Deadline

UP NEXT

Fresno County’s First Fentanyl Murder Trial Begins as Defense Challenges Overdose Evidence

UP NEXT

Trump Pledges to ‘Expel Rogue Actors’ in Political Speech at Justice Department

UP NEXT

Meet Tulare County’s New Health Officer: Dr. Asma Tariq

UP NEXT

CA Regulator Mulls State Farm’s Request for 22% Home Insurance Hike

UP NEXT

Fresno Council President Says It’s Not Worth Investigating ‘Rumors’ of Chavez Wrongdoing

UP NEXT

Don’t Listen to Critics. SJ River Conservancy Is Doing Its Job

UP NEXT

CA Borrows $3.4B to Cover Medi-Cal Budget Gap. Is Immigrant Coverage at Risk?

UP NEXT

Trump Administration’s Attacks on Higher Education Threaten US Global Dominance in Science

Anthony W. Haddad,
Multimedia Journalist
Anthony W. Haddad, who graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with his undergraduate degree and has an MBA at Fresno State, is the Swiss Army knife of GV Wire. He writes stories, manages social media, and represents the organization on the ground.

Fresno County’s First Fentanyl Murder Trial Begins as Defense Challenges Overdose Evidence

6 hours ago

Trump Pledges to ‘Expel Rogue Actors’ in Political Speech at Justice Department

6 hours ago

Meet Tulare County’s New Health Officer: Dr. Asma Tariq

7 hours ago

CA Regulator Mulls State Farm’s Request for 22% Home Insurance Hike

7 hours ago

Fresno Council President Says It’s Not Worth Investigating ‘Rumors’ of Chavez Wrongdoing

8 hours ago

Don’t Listen to Critics. SJ River Conservancy Is Doing Its Job

10 hours ago

CA Borrows $3.4B to Cover Medi-Cal Budget Gap. Is Immigrant Coverage at Risk?

10 hours ago

Trump Administration’s Attacks on Higher Education Threaten US Global Dominance in Science

11 hours ago

Tulare Police Arrest Eight in Gang Suppression Operation

11 hours ago

Feds Drop Gun Charge Against Capitol Rioter Benjamin Martin

12 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced to 200 Years to Life for Double Homicide

A 28-year-old Fresno man was sentenced Friday to 200 years to life in state prison for a 2021 double murder, the Fresno County District Atto...

5 hours ago

5 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced to 200 Years to Life for Double Homicide

The River Park Farmers Market in Fresno is set to welcome its seven-millionth customer while expanding its community impact through food assistance programs, small business support, and a new educational cooking series. (River Park Farmers Market)
5 hours ago

River Park Farmers Market Nears Milestone: 7 Million Customers

5 hours ago

Senate Passes Six-Month Funding Bill Hours Before Shutdown Deadline

Cassidy Gonzalez (pictured), 24, faces Fresno County’s first fentanyl-related homicide trial, with prosecutors linking her to Jade Dreith’s, 41, fatal overdose and the defense questioning the evidence. (Fresno County Sheriff's Office)
6 hours ago

Fresno County’s First Fentanyl Murder Trial Begins as Defense Challenges Overdose Evidence

6 hours ago

Trump Pledges to ‘Expel Rogue Actors’ in Political Speech at Justice Department

7 hours ago

Meet Tulare County’s New Health Officer: Dr. Asma Tariq

7 hours ago

CA Regulator Mulls State Farm’s Request for 22% Home Insurance Hike

8 hours ago

Fresno Council President Says It’s Not Worth Investigating ‘Rumors’ of Chavez Wrongdoing

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend