Tyler Barriss, the suspect in a swatting incident that resulted in the death of a man in Wichita, Kansas in December, entered into a plea agreement Tuesday that could send him to prison for more than 20 years, according to the Kansas U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Barriss, 25, pleaded guilty in a federal court in Kansas to causing the swatting incident on Dec. 28, 2017, an event that resulted in the death of 28-year-old Andrew Finch. Barriss also pleaded guilty in federal courts in California and Washington D.C.
Barriss reportedly agreed to make the swatting call after two Call of Duty players got into an argument over a $2 online wager match. One of the players gave a false address to the other, who contacted Barriss to make the call that brought police to Finch’s home in Wichita, Kansas. Barriss was charged with involuntary manslaughter after police shot and killed Finch following the false call.
Related: Wichita swatter Tyler Barriss reportedly faces up to 46 new criminal charges
In the D.C. case, Barriss admitted to making hoax bomb threats to the headquarters of the FBI and Federal Communications Commission. He pleaded guilty to 46 counts in the Middle District of California, including making false bomb threats to schools, shopping malls, and TV stations in more than a dozen states.
“Without ever stepping foot in Wichita, the defendant created a chaotic situation that quickly turned from dangerous to deadly,” McAllister said. “His reasons were trivial and his disregard for the safety of other people was staggering.”
In Barriss’ plea agreement, he said he was involved with Casey Viner, 18, of North College Hill, Ohio, and Shane Gaskill, 20, of Wichita, who are both awaiting trial. Viner asked Barriss to swat Gaskill, who said he lived at 1033 W. McCormick St., although he didn’t live there at the time.
Sentencing is set for Jan. 30, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Eric Melgren.
Published: Nov 13, 2018 08:11 pm