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.
Related Story: Fresno Pedestrian Killed in Crash Identified
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.”
Related Story: Fresno Police Arrest 9 Drivers on Suspicion of DUI on Super Bowl Sunday
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.
Related Story: Fresno Police Seek Public’s Help in Locating Missing 75-Year-Old Man
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:
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
Don’t Listen to Critics. SJ River Conservancy Is Doing Its Job
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
5 hours ago
Categories

Fresno Man Sentenced to 200 Years to Life for Double Homicide

River Park Farmers Market Nears Milestone: 7 Million Customers

Senate Passes Six-Month Funding Bill Hours Before Shutdown Deadline

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