ICYMI: Wisconsin Man Admits to Twisted Nationwide Swatting Spree Using Hacked Cameras
A Wisconsin man admitted to orchestrating a shocking nationwide swatting scheme, using hacked Ring cameras to taunt victims. đ #News #MadisonWI #Wisconsin #Crime
MADISON, WI – A 23-year-old Wisconsin man has admitted to orchestrating a chilling “swatting” spree that spanned the nation, using hacked Ring home security cameras to broadcast law enforcementâs armed responses on social media. The guilty plea, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, has exposed the elaborate and dangerous hoax that endangered both civilians and officers.
Kya Christian Nelson, already serving a state prison sentence in Kentucky for a separate offense, confessed to his involvement in the weeklong operation. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and two counts of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information. Nelson has been in federal custody since August 2024.
The Dangerous Reality of âSwattingâ
“Swatting” refers to the act of making false emergency calls to provoke an armed police response, often involving SWAT teams. The scheme, described by prosecutors as reckless and malicious, placed innocent individuals in harmâs way.
âSwatting puts innocent lives in danger,â Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally said in a statement.
âTodayâs guilty plea demonstrates that individuals who engage in this dangerous conduct will be held accountable through federal prosecutions.â
A Trail of Hoaxes and Hacked Cameras
Between Nov. 7 and Nov. 13, 2020, Nelson and his accomplices executed their plan with precision. According to the plea agreement, Nelson illegally accessed Yahoo! email accounts, then used stolen credentials to take over Ring cameras linked to the same accounts.
With this access, the conspirators launched a series of fake emergency calls, sending law enforcement to unsuspecting victimsâ homes. Through the Ring devices, they not only livestreamed the responses but also mocked and threatened both victims and officers.
On Nov. 8, 2020, Nelson and an accomplice called the West Covina Police Department, pretending to be a child reporting dangerous activity at a residence. The fabricated story claimed the childâs parents were drinking and firing guns. Police arrived at the home and forced the residents outside at gunpoint. During the chaos, Nelson taunted officers using the hacked Ring doorbell camera.
A similar incident occurred on Nov. 11, 2020, when Nelson and his co-conspirator made another false report, this time to the Oxnard Police Department. Claiming to be a child, they alleged gun violence at the home. Officers responded and removed the residents at gunpoint, only to discover the entire situation was a hoax. Nelson once again used the hacked Ring camera to intimidate police.
The Fallout of Swatting
FBI Los Angeles Assistant Director Akil Davis condemned the actions, emphasizing the risks involved.
âThe defendantâs malicious actions traumatized his victims and put their lives â and the lives of responding officers â at risk,â Davis said.
âSwatting hoaxes drain crucial law enforcement resources at the expense of taxpayers and divert officers from responding to actual crisis situations.â
Davis urged users of security systems like Ring to protect their devices with strong passwords and two-factor authentication to prevent similar breaches.
Sentencing and Co-Conspirators
Nelsonâs sentencing is set for May 1. He faces up to five years in federal prison for each of the three charges.
One of his co-conspirators, James Thomas Andrew McCarty, 22, of Arizona, was sentenced in June 2024 to seven years in federal prison. McCartyâs crimes included a swatting incident in Florida, where he falsely claimed to be a man who had murdered his wife, was holding a hostage, and had rigged the home with explosives. Like Nelson, McCarty used a hacked Ring camera to livestream the police response.
RELATED TOPICS: Crime | Wisconsin
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