Police Arrest Teen Said to Be Linked to Hundreds of Swatting Attacks

[Shadow Wolf]

House arrest should include revocation of his internet privileges.

Either that or he consents to constant monitoring with no usage of VPNs or other things to mask what he's doing.

 

[Subduction Zone]

How long do you think this young man should sit in a cell? And what is in societies best interest here?

I was thinking more along the lines of moderate torture. Perhaps 24 hours straight of Yoko Ono music. Though the Geneva Convention may have something to say

 

[Stevicus]

Look, of course this is some messed up stuff he has been engaged in. But, people, he is 17. Please, can't we agree a young man can be given a second chance, after some treatment and/or counseling? I was a **** up at 17.

Teen Brain Development: Timeline, Effects, Factors

Several processes occur during adolescent brain development that influence how teenagers act, react, feel, and think.

www.healthline.com

I don't know. When I was 17, they had programs like Scared Straight and various types of "boot camp" and "tough love" programs for wayward kids. But this kid was doing this for two years. It wasn't like it was some one-time thing - or even a case of simple delinquency. When the crime is serious enough, they often try juvenile offenders as adults.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

How long do you think this young man should sit in a cell? And what is in societies best interest here?

That's not up for me to decide. Until he's no longer a danger to society, I would say. He'll probably get 5 years or less. The perp responsible for that fatal 2015 swatting only got 20 years for it.

 

[esmith]

I never suggested "getting away with it." Let's not ruin this young man's life, that is all I am saying. Everyone deserves a second chance.

Ok, second chance after say 5-10 years in prison.

 

[Callisto]

Look, of course this is some messed up stuff he has been engaged in. But, people, he is 17. Please, can't we agree a young man can be given a second chance, after some treatment and/or counseling? I was a **** up at 17.

Teen Brain Development: Timeline, Effects, Factors

Several processes occur during adolescent brain development that influence how teenagers act, react, feel, and think.

www.healthline.com

No.

A foolish youthful mistake is doing this once. Knowing it's wrong, illegal and the inherent risks to both the victims and law enforcement yet doing it hundreds of times anyway and enjoying it? That's not a childish error. That's someone who needs to learn a very precious lesson. It should cost him dearly.

As an aside unrelated you, I'm fed up with this nonsense of people (in general) insisting children/minors are capable of making lifelong, life altering decisions ... until something goes sideways. Then, it's the young don't know any better, they're impressionable, their minds aren't fully developed and can't be held accountable.

Regardless back to this case, 17 is old enough to know right from wrong unless his health history (e.g. documented developmental issues, low IQ, mental disorders) indicate otherwise. But none of that appears to be a factor here. So yes, he should be held fully accountable.

 

[anna.]

“I am never going to be caught,” the caller laughed. “I am invincible.”

It did take a two-year investigation to finally catch this guy, but it does appear there are quite a few holes in the system.

Last two paras at your link:

It is unclear whether a single person operated under the Torswats name. On January 20, two days after Dennis, the private investigator, said that Torswats had been arrested, a person using the Torswats’ Telegram handle who had knowledge of previous conversations with WIRED reached out.​

​

“I am pretty sure I’ll never be arrested,” the individual wrote in a direct message on Telegram. “Seems ridiculous that a few bucks a month can allow someone to do crazy **** and never go to jail.”​

 

[Stevicus]

Last two paras at your link:

It is unclear whether a single person operated under the Torswats name. On January 20, two days after Dennis, the private investigator, said that Torswats had been arrested, a person using the Torswats’ Telegram handle who had knowledge of previous conversations with WIRED reached out.​

​

“I am pretty sure I’ll never be arrested,” the individual wrote in a direct message on Telegram. “Seems ridiculous that a few bucks a month can allow someone to do crazy **** and never go to jail.”​

Well, there are those who might be able to get away with something once or twice (or perhaps more) if they stay under the radar and know how not to get caught. But then there are those who keep doing it, and then bragging along with it. Those are the ones who get caught.

I don't know if there's any kind of technological fix available. If someone can do this sort of thing for just a few bucks a month, then what can be done?

 

[Debater Slayer]

Police Arrest Teen Said to Be Linked to Hundreds of Swatting Attacks

A California teenager who allegedly used the handle Torswats to carry out a nationwide swatting campaign is being extradited to Florida to face felony charges, WIRED has learned.

www.wired.com

A 17-year-old teen from California. He will be extradited to Florida to stand trial as an adult.

There's been quite a rash of swatting incidents.



The article gives some detail as to how swatting works.



“I am never going to be caught,” the caller laughed. “I am invincible.”

It did take a two-year investigation to finally catch this guy, but it does appear there are quite a few holes in the system.

At 17 years old, isn't he almost at the legal age to own a gun in most states?

This is consistently destructive, malicious behavior that rises to the level of endangering others' lives. It was not some one-off prank or folly; he knew what he was doing and reveled in it. I believe he should be separated from society for a long time and required to undergo rehabilitation. His freedom shouldn't be taken for granted when he has amply demonstrated that it presents a risk to other citizens.

 

[Revoltingest]

I was thinking more along the lines of moderate torture. Perhaps 24 hours straight of Yoko Ono music. Though the Geneva Convention may have something to say

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

Let's not ruin this young man's life, that is all I am saying.

He did that himself.

 

[The Hammer]

Look, of course this is some messed up stuff he has been engaged in. But, people, he is 17. Please, can't we agree a young man can be given a second chance, after some treatment and/or counseling? I was a **** up at 17.

Teen Brain Development: Timeline, Effects, Factors

Several processes occur during adolescent brain development that influence how teenagers act, react, feel, and think.

www.healthline.com

Yes, but they still need to face the legal consequences of their actions. Get him into counseling and therapy, but also show them that the legal system takes this **** seriously.

 

[The Hammer]

I don't know. When I was 17, they had programs like Scared Straight and various types of "boot camp" and "tough love" programs for wayward kids. But this kid was doing this for two years. It wasn't like it was some one-time thing - or even a case of simple delinquency. When the crime is serious enough, they often try juvenile offenders as adults.

Those "scared straight/boot camp" reform programs only **** kids up more.

 

[Regiomontanus]

Yes, but they still need to face the legal consequences of their actions. Get him into counseling and therapy, but also show them that the legal system takes this **** seriously.

Unfortunately he is being sent to FL to faces charges. That state only really cares about punishment, not reform.

 

[Revoltingest]

He did that himself.

At his age, his brain is woefully immature.
Punishment should account for his potential
to grow out of his current condition.

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

Unfortunately he is being sent to FL to faces charges. That state only really cares about punishment, not reform.

The entirety of the American Prison system cares about punishment rather than reform. While I'm not saying that's perfect, it's well-known enough that it should have certainly deterred someone from sending SWAT teams to potentially kill people.

 

[Regiomontanus]

The entirety of the American Prison system cares about punishment rather than reform. While I'm not saying that's perfect, it's well-known enough that it should have certainly deterred someone from sending SWAT teams to potentially kill people.

Some states are much better than others, certainly in how they treat 17 year olds.

 

[Stevicus]

Those "scared straight/boot camp" reform programs only **** kids up more.

I recalled reading that those programs were not as effective as originally touted, but I was just looking at this Wiki article on it, and it apparently, those who attended Scared Straight sessions were more likely to commit crimes: Scared Straight! - Wikipedia!

As a result of the film, many states introduced "scared straight" programs in an attempt to rehabilitate young delinquents.[15]

In April 1978, James Finckenauer, a professor of the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice, began a test of the Scared Straight program, using a control group, something that had not been done previously.[16] His study concluded that children who attended Rahway were more likely to commit crimes than those who did not.[17]

A meta-analysis of the results of a number of Scared Straight and similar programs found that they actively increased crime rates and lead to higher re-offense rates compared to control groups that did not receive the intervention. The cause of the increase in crime is not clear.[18] The UK College of Policing agrees that there is "very strong quality" evidence that Scared Straight programs cause an increase in crime.[19]

In 2011, two Justice Department officials wrote an op-ed piece in The Baltimore Sun describing scared straight programs as "ineffective" and "potentially harmful." The officials, OJJDP Acting Administrator Jeff Slowikowski and Laurie O. Robinson wrote that "when it comes to our children," policymakers and parents should "follow evidence, not anecdote."[20]

In 2004, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy estimated that each dollar spent on Scared Straight programs incurred costs of $203.51.[21]

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

At his age, his brain is woefully immature.
Punishment should account for his potential
to grow out of his current condition.

Psychopaths and sociopaths can be of any age and it's not a condition you grow out of. There's been many murderous children and teens, who are sadistic towards people and non-humans. When it's pleasurable to them, they're a lot less likely to be rehabilitated.

 

[Altfish]

Until I read this thread, I had no idea what 'Swatting' was.
I assume it is a US term, as in the UK we refer to them as 'Hoax calls'.