(Beaver Dam) A Sauk City teen who is facing charges for a swatting incident in Beaver Dam made his initial appearance on court Monday. Thomas Gallas is facing a felony count of False Reporting of an Emergency. On May 11th, a call to Beaver Dam police reported that a 15-year-old had shot his mother with a shotgun and that this person was going to end his own life. The day before, the 15-year-old’s mother reached out to police and said that unknown people were threatening to initiate a swatting incident against her son. That’s when someone fakes an emergency call with the intent to bring out a massive police response. Following a sweep of the home, authorities determined no such incident occurred. Investigators learned that the threats were made over web-based platforms Telegram and Discord. According to the criminal complaint, a user ID led police to Gallas. When questioned, the 17-year-old allegedly admitted his actions and that he was coerced into doing so. He reportedly said that another online user hacked his parent’s bank accounts and threatened him if he did not make the swatting calls. Gallas allegedly said he has made false reports around the country including West Virginia, California and Oregon. If convicted, Gallas faces no more than three-and-a-half years in prison. A signature bond was set at $1,000 and preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 20th.
Sauk City Teen Makes Initial Appearance On Swatting Charges
