Hagerstown Man and Two Others Facing Federal Charges for Swatting Activities

HAGERSTOWN, MD News (6/4/2024) – On Tuesday, May 7, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment that has led to federal charges against Owen Jarboe, age 18, of Hagerstown, Maryland; Evan Strauss, age 26, of Moneta, Virginia; and Brayden Grace, age 18, of Columbus, Ohio. The charges include conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and threats to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosives. This announcement was made by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

The six-count superseding indictment outlines that from approximately December 10, 2023, through at least January 18, 2024, the three defendants and other conspirators allegedly conspired to place swatting calls to various police and emergency departments across the United States. The indictment states that the defendants were part of an online group called “Purgatory” and used multiple social media platforms, including Telegram and Instagram, to plan and coordinate their swatting activities and to announce the swats they had conducted. The group allegedly employed shared scripts to disguise their phone numbers and identities.

Among the swatting incidents detailed in the indictment are:

• A threat to burn down a residential trailer park in Alabama;
• A shooting threat against a teacher and unnamed students at a high school in Delaware;
• A shooting and bomb threat at Albany International Airport in New York;
• A shooting and bomb threat against a casino in Ohio;
• A multiple homicide and shooting threat against individuals in a residence in Eastman, Georgia.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy, cyberstalking, and interstate threatening communications, and up to 10 years in prison for each charge involving threats to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosives. However, actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties, with the final sentences determined by a federal district court judge, who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

It is important to note that an indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office for its outstanding investigative work. He also praised the efforts of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, along with multiple police departments and sheriff’s offices across the country, including those in Columbus, Ohio; Newark, Delaware; Lenoir City, Tennessee; Albany, New York; Fairburn City, Georgia; Bethel Park, Pennsylvania; Giles County, Virginia; Blue Springs, Missouri; Tarboro, North Carolina; Boston, Massachusetts; Dodge County, Georgia; and Houston County, Alabama. Additional assistance was provided by the FBI’s Mobile, Richmond, Boston, Charlotte, and Cincinnati Field Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and Robert I. Goldaris are prosecuting the case.

Story by multiple RFHC contributors