Pennsylvania man charged in Clermont Co. shooting hoaxes, White House threat

A Pennsylvania man is facing charges in connection with "swatting" hoaxes about shootings and kidnapping in Clermont County and even a threat to the White House, officials said.

A Clermont County grand jury on Tuesday indicted Michael Carpenter, 19, on a single count of swatting, court records show.

Carpenter of Parkesburg, Pennsylvania, made the calls to Ohio law enforcement in November, according to a Clermont County Sheriff's Office news release.

In the first call, on Nov. 8, a man told dispatchers he had just shot his brother and tied up his mom at a home in Washington Township. Deputies determined the call was a hoax after reaching the home and making sure the residents were safe.

Immediately after they cleared the scene, the same caller contacted Clermont County dispatchers saying he had "pressure bombs" at the White House, and that he was holding someone hostage, the sheriff's office said.

He then verified to the dispatcher that he was swatting and information about the White House threat was passed along to the U.S. Secret Service.

As of Tuesday afternoon, federal court records did not list any charges pending against Carpenter regarding that threat.

Early in the morning on Nov. 13, dispatchers got another call regarding the same residence in Washington Township. This time, the caller said he had just shot his mother and the sounds of gunshots and screaming were heard in the background, officials said.

Deputies again responded to the home and determined the call was a hoax.

Detectives investigated the hoax 911 calls and used social media records to identify Carpenter as the source, the sheriff's office said.

Investigators are working with the Parkesburg Police Department to locate and arrest Carpenter, who will be extradited to Clermont County for trial.

What is swatting?

Swatting is a form of online harassment in which someone falsely reports violent crimes in progress or makes threats to cause a large law enforcement response – commonly a SWAT team – to a victim's home or business, but also to public institutions like schools or universities.

The term "swatting" was used by the FBI as early as 2008, and the practice has its origins in the online gaming community.

Is swatting a crime in Ohio?

A law passed in 2022 by the Ohio Legislature makes swatting a fourth-degree felony, a crime that can be enhanced to a second-degree felony if serious bodily harm occurs as a result of the call.

Swatting is also federally illegal, although the degree and crimes charged is dependent on circumstances like tactics and target, according to the FBI.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Pennsylvania man charged in White House threat, Ohio swatting hoaxes