Suffering continues for Howard County swatting victim

by Joy Lepola

Fox45Baltimore

BALTIMORE, Md. (WBFF) — In an exclusive interview Fox45’s Crime & Justice Reporter Joy Lepola spoke with Tyran Dobbs. Dobbs is the victim of a swatting incident that happened in Howard County.

Police responded to Dobbs’ apartment after a call was made the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center’s Terrorism Hotline.

Court documents indicate the caller had a British accent and identified himself as “Tyrone”.

The statement of facts Lee signed state, “The caller demanded $15,000 in cash be delivered in a red bag to a specific address and apartment in Ellicott City, MD.” The caller went on to make threats regarding his hostages.

Officers from Howard County responded to the location not knowing someone was swatting Dobbs. “Swatting” is a term used to describe the act of utilizing deception and trickery to entice an emergency service provider into dispatching an emergency response based on a false report of an ongoing critical incident.

Federal authorities identified Zachary Lee of Catonsville and Robert McDaid from England as the two men responsible for committing this crime.

Lee received a two year sentence after pleading guilty for Conspiracy to Provide False Information and False Information and Hoax relating to a scheme to cause an emergency services response.

The U.S Attorney’s Office states, Walker-McDaid has been arrested in the United Kingdom and has an extradition hearing scheduled for March 27, 2018.

Attorney Anton Iamele says, “Dobbs was shot with a non-lethal round that did a great deal of damage to his face, but emotionally this has impacted him significantly.” Dobbs says, “When I look at this situation there is literally nothing I could have done.”

Source Article – foxbaltimore.com/news/local/suffering-continues-for-swatting-victim