Brayden Grace, 19, of Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges, including conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and threats to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosives. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Kelly O. Hayes, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office.
According to court documents, Grace was a key member of an online group known as “Purgatory,” which utilized social media platforms like Telegram and Instagram to orchestrate and boast about “swatting” and “doxxing” activities across the country.
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“Grace and his co-conspirators threatened and terrorized others throughout the country, and then bragged about it online,” stated U.S. Attorney Hayes. “Make no mistake: swatting and doxxing are not pranks—they are dangerous and illegal acts that put lives at risk and drain critical law enforcement resources. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to relentlessly pursuing those who seek to gain notoriety by abusing our emergency services and striking fear in others. Such unlawful actions will not be tolerated.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Koldjeski emphasized the severity of the crimes, noting, “Brayden Grace admitted he engaged in swatting and doxxing to strike out at perceived rivals, gain online notoriety, attempt to make money, and for enjoyment. May his guilty plea make clear that the FBI and our partners take these threats seriously. Together, we will make sure offenders do not remain anonymous and face justice for their crimes which drain vital public safety resources, cause undue fear, and put innocent lives at risk.”
“Swatting” involves falsely reporting an emergency to elicit an armed law enforcement response to a specific location, often with violent claims. “Doxxing” refers to the malicious act of publishing an individual’s private information online, often to facilitate swatting or other harassment.
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From December 10, 2023, through January 18, 2024, Grace and his co-conspirators placed numerous fraudulent calls to emergency services, using shared scripts and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services to conceal their identities. These calls led to significant disruptions and put innocent lives at risk.
Notable incidents detailed in the guilty plea include:
- Houston County, Alabama: Conspirators threatened to burn down a residential trailer park and kill responding law enforcement officers.
- Newark, Delaware: A conspirator falsely reported gunshots at a high school, followed by threats to shoot a teacher and kill students. This led to a school lockdown and a police response during the school day. Grace later posted news coverage of this incident on Purgatory’s social media.
- Columbus, Ohio: Grace posted the address of the Hollywood Casino, the non-emergency number for Columbus Police, and a doxxing victim’s name. Purgatory conspirators then called police, threatening to “start shooting,” “kill everyone here,” and blow up the casino.
- Albany, New York: Purgatory conspirators threatened the use of firearms and explosives at the airport, prompting an immediate police response. Grace later bragged about this threat on the group’s website.
Grace now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count of threatening to damage or destroy by fire or explosive. He also faces a maximum sentence of five years for conspiracy, cyberstalking, and interstate threats. The sentencing date has not yet been announced.
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