Homes swatted in California; Officers taunted through Ring camera
Share and Follow


LOS ANGELES (KTLA) A man from Wisconsin pleaded guilty on Thursday to reporting false emergencies to police in places like West Covina and Oxnard, California, then taunting officers using residences’ Ring cameras.

Racine resident Kya Christian Nelson, 23, admitted to one count of conspiracy and two counts of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.

From Nov. 7 to 13, 2020, Nelson went on a “swatting” spree where he’d falsely report dangerous situations at residences across the country, then livestream the ensuing police raids on social media, “sometimes while taunting responding police officers in communities such as West Covina and Oxnard,” the DOJ said.

Those officers had often just cleared a home’s residents at gunpoint, as the reports they received often indicated that children were in danger from adults armed with guns.

“The defendant’s malicious actions traumatized his victims and put their lives – and the lives of responding officers – at risk,” said Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, in the DOJ release. “Swatting hoaxes drain crucial law enforcement resources at the expense of taxpayers and diverts police officers from responding to actual crisis situations. This case is a good reminder for security doorbell users that it’s important to practice strict cyber hygiene by using difficult passwords and by employing two-factor authentication.”

Nelson, who has been in Kentucky state prison since August after a conviction on an unrelated case, faces up to five years in federal prison for each count when he’s sentenced on May 1.

One of Nelson’s co-conspirators, Arizona resident James Thomas Andrew McCarty, 22, was sentenced in June to seven years in federal prison.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The Trump administration is…
Claim $150 bonus or $1K first bet safety net for Wimbledon

Grasp a $150 bonus or secure a safety net for your first $1K bet at Wimbledon.

Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission…
Mexico President Sheinbaum hopes deported boxer Chávez Jr. will serve time in Mexico

Mexico’s President Sheinbaum wants boxer Chávez Jr., who was deported, to be imprisoned in Mexico

MEXICO CITY — Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday that Mexico hadn’t…
Red state now offers preferred parking for pregnant women

Red state now offers preferred parking for pregnant women

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Florida is days into…
Central Texas flash floods: Why were they so catastrophic?

Understanding the Severity of the Recent Central Texas Flash Floods

AUSTIN (KXAN) – In the overnight hours of July 3 and 4,…
World War III will start with Xi and Putin invasions, warns NATO chief

NATO Chief Warns of Potential Invasions by Xi and Putin Leading to World War III

NATO chief Mark Rutte has chillingly warned that World War III will…
Hollywood Walk of Fame class of 2026: Miley Cyrus, Shaq and more honored

Celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Shaq to receive stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2026

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce revealed the 2026 class, including 35 famous…
A look at some of the deadliest floods in the US in the last 25 years

Examining the most devastating floods in the United States over the past 25 years

Flooding has caused an average of more than 125 deaths per year…