For recreation, many people enjoy the outdoors with hiking or sports, while others prefer indoor activities, such as gaming or calling their friends. One California man also enjoyed spending a good portion of his waking hours on the phone — albeit with the police and FBI. 18-year-old Alan Filion became a for-profit terrorist by turning his recreational hobby of swatting and threat calls “into a business.” He pleaded guilty back in November 2024 and is now being sentenced to four years in prison.
Deemed as a “serial swatter” by the US Department of Justice, Filion has reportedly made over 375 swatting calls over the course of two-ish years. During this time, he told the police that he would commit mass shootings or plant bombs in “religious institutions, high schools, colleges and universities.” He also targeted individuals and government officials, depending on the victim he simply chose or by his client’s request. Not only did this serial swatting cost significant time and resources for dispatchers and responders, but swatting is considered to be a “severe danger to first responders and victims.”
Needless to say, many people are furious that this California criminal is only getting 48 months in prison. “[He] literally made a business to ruin lives. 4 years is a pittance,” remarks a Redditor. “Hundreds of swatting calls and he gets only 4 years?” questions another. “Should have been 44 years,” comments a third. Many more followers of the news report collectively agree that this crime is “way more serious than the penalty,” and “terrorist” Filion deserves a much more severe punishment.
Several commenters took into account the number of days Filion would be spending in prison in relation to how many swatting calls he makes. Considering that he performed a minimum of 376 calls and will be incarcerated for around 1,461 days, “the math suggests an average of ≈4,” concludes a shrewd individual. With numbers like that, dozens of users facetiously remarked the hundreds of swatting calls were a “cost-effective” crime. “I could have anyone live in fear for the low cost of 96 hours, priceless!” joked a commenter.
Considering the potential millions of dollars wasted by this California serial swatter’s horrific antics, four years is indeed a relatively insignificant sentence. Not to mention, hundreds to possibly thousands of lives have been negatively affected, traumatized, or ruined by his endeavors. The FBI claims they will “aggressively investigate and hold accountable anyone who engages in these activities.” That said, authorities might need to do better than a four-year sentence for an individual on the loose for serial swatting for two years.
