Ohio Man Charged with Swatting at Casino Over Menacing Phone Calls in Court
In court on Monday, a 18-year-old accused of masterminding a "swatting" call to a casino in Columbus, Ohio was presented.
Brayden Grace, from Columbus, Ohio, is believed to be responsible for the fake bomb threat made to Hollyood Casino on the 5th of January. During a second call, the threat of a mass shooting was made.
Following a preliminary investigation, FBI agents recognized Grace as the suspect and put him on their Most Wanted List. When they attempted to arrest him last Thursday, he was hiding behind a door in a local home, as reported by Ohio TV station WBNS.
Agents stated that his hands were colored pink with dye, and his hair was partially dyed pink as well. This change in hair color was an attempt to make it harder for federal agents to recognize him.
Grace faces charges of cyberstalking, interstate threatening communication, and threats to damage and destroy by means of firearms and explosives.
When he appeared in Ohio federal court, a prosecutor suggested he be incarcerated. "People have died in swatting incidents. That's why we fought so strongly for Grace to remain detained," Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Martinez told WBNS. "Everybody has access to the internet. All it takes is Wi-Fi and a cellphone to engage in this type of conduct and put people at risk."
Swatting incidents typically involve making false emergency calls to lure police to respond.
Swatting Group Leader
Investigators allege that Grace and at least two other suspects made swatting calls to various locations across several states from December to January. These individuals were identified as part of a group known as "Purgatory," which uses social media to organize and coordinate their swatting activities and to announce swats they have conducted.
In interviews, Grace has referred to himself as its "co-owner," the news reports said. The group targeted a high school in Newark, Del., an airport in New York, a trailer park in Alabama, and a residence in Eastman, Ga., among other places.
The callers used Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services to make it more difficult to trace the calls. They also employed social media sites such as Instagram and Telegram.
The other suspects were identified as Owen Jarboe, 18, from Hagerstown, Md., and Evan Strauss, 26, from Moneta, Va., according to Ohio radio station WOSU.
Back in 2021, an alleged swatting call made by Grace in East Palestine, Ohio, claimed that he had taken hostages and would kill them. This call turned out to be a fake.
Grace's Background
At Monday's hearing, Grace's lawyer asked that he be placed in a psychiatric facility where he could be continuously monitored with a GPS device. The defense attorney claims that Grace suffers from emotional disorders and uses drugs.
As a child, Grace lived in foster homes after his mother abandoned him. His grandmother later sent him away as well.
Grace experienced abuse from his mother's partners, the attorney added.
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Source: www.casino.org
