Virginia man pleads guilty to swatting hoaxes at airport, school

A Virginia man has pleaded guilty to federal charges for his role in a “swatting” plot that triggered armed law enforcement responses across multiple states, including false threats directed at a high school and a major airport, according to prosecutors.

Evan Strauss, 27, of Moneta, Virginia, admitted to participating in a coordinated campaign of swatting, interstate threats, and doxxing as part of an online group called “Purgatory.” He pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and making threats to damage or destroy by fire or explosives.

Swatting involves making false emergency calls to law enforcement to provoke an armed response at a targeted location. Doxxing refers to the online posting of private or identifying information about individuals with the intent to cause harm or harassment.

Between December 10, 2023, and January 18, 2024, Strauss and his co-conspirators placed numerous swatting calls, using internet-based phone services to hide their identities.

In one instance, Strauss falsely reported a shooting in progress at Newark High School in Delaware. A Maryland-based co-conspirator followed up by threatening a teacher and students, causing the school to go into lockdown.

In another case, Strauss encouraged a group member to “shut down” an airport. The co-conspirator later called Albany police claiming he planned to open fire and that another person would detonate bombs at Albany International Airport in New York. The threats prompted a large emergency response.

Additional incidents included a threat to burn down part of a trailer park in Alabama and to kill responding officers, made by a Maryland-based co-conspirator.

Two other members of the group, Brayden Grace of Columbus, Ohio, and Owen Jarboe of Hagerstown, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty and are also awaiting sentencing.

Strauss faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for each count of threatening to damage or destroy by fire or explosives, and up to five years for each count of conspiracy, cyberstalking, and interstate threats. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6.