It’s not often you hear about a teen facing multiple felonies, but a teen in Ohio is facing 40 over claims that they were involved in a swatting hoax in Dodge County.
According to an article out of Dodge Co. Wisconsin, a hoax phone call had been received in March 2018 that led to the SWAT team being deployed. Through investigation, the agency was able to determine that a 17-year-old male from Youngstown, Ohio, had placed the call. Similar incidents had happened from around Mahoning County, Ohio, leading to calls across the United States. Now, 73 counts of delinquency have been filed against the teen, 40 of which are felonies and 33 of which are misdemeanors.
The biggest issue that was addressed was that the individual allegedly believed they’d get away with inciting fear. The authorities pursued charges to the full extent of the law to discourage similar acts from taking place.
Cases like this are interesting due to the way that investigations are performed. It’s possible to track callers’ phone numbers or locations, but it could be difficult to prove who the caller actually was. This would be particularly true in cases where the caller made calls from various homes or locations.
Those who are accused of inciting fear could face serious repercussions. It’s important for them to discuss their legal options with their attorneys and to be sure of what they should or should not say to the police. These felony charges are extremely serious and can lead to jail time or heavy fines, which would harm any person, let alone a juvenile.