NBC Washington reports Monday that a man who engaged in “swatting” public officials was sentenced to two years in prison for conspiring to scare or target celebrities and government officials.
Man admits conspiring to reveal private info of celebrities and public officials online, sometimes "swatting" them. https://t.co/3wEugShwIP
— NBCWashington (@nbcwashington) July 11, 2016
Scott MacFarlane reports that Mir Islam had several times tricked police departments into dispatching SWAT teams to the homes of public officials, including Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA.
NY man sentenced to two years in prison for "swatting" head of NRA, Congressman from Michigan and cable TV anchor in 2013. Bogus 911 calls
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) July 11, 2016
BREAKING: New York man admits "swatting", creating mass police response to home of head of NRA in 2013, bogus call about fictional murder
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) July 11, 2016
His attorney told @nbcwashington Police arrived w/ guns at home of NRA head Wayne LaPierre in 2013, after someone made bogus "swatting" call
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) July 11, 2016
Lawyer for NRA head Wayne LaPierre: Armed police "knocked down his arms & briefly detained him", when LaPierre was victim of 2013 "swatting"
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) July 11, 2016
Islam also confessed to a swatting incident that forced a four-hour lockdown at the University of Arizona, where he was reportedly infatuated with a student.
In addition, he admitted to revealing online the private information of celebrities and government officials, including their home addresses and credit reports. Among those whose private information was compromised was former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose Social Security number was exposed.
“Islam told a judge he suffered from physical and mental health ailments and spent 18 hours behind his computer each day. He said he’d change after serving his sentence,” MacFarlane reports.
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