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Authorities work to find anyone responsible for 'swatting' calls targeting Georgia lawmakers over holidays

Swatting can come with severe penalties, including life in prison, according to attorney Daryl Cohen.

ATLANTA — It’s a crime that involves picking up a phone and reporting to the police that there's a crime in progress that isn't really happening. 

A former prosecutor and criminal defense attorney said the charges for "swatting" are no drop in the bucket depending on the severity of the incident.

Several lawmakers have stepped forward to say they’ve been victimized by "swatting" attacks over the holiday, including Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, State Sen. Clint Dixon, State Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick and State Sen. Jon Albers.

Now, two Democrats share that they have also been victimized.

Atlanta Police confirmed the department received a fake 911 call for a home owned by Sen. Raphael Warnock.

State Sen. Kim Jackson's Office confirmed she was also targeted.

Additionally, Georgia Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones posted on X that his home was swatted Wednesday night, and his office received a bomb threat.

Attorney Daryl Cohen said the crime just takes a few minutes.

RELATED: 'Swatting' hoax appears to target more Georgia lawmakers

“An unknown anonymous person, who is at some point found out, calls and says that so and so... perhaps someone in Congress is being held hostage," Cohen said. 

That call to 911 describing a fake crime can trigger police to come out in full force only to find that no one is in danger.

Cohen said it's an issue Congress took action on about eight years ago, passing the Interstate Swatting Hoax Act.

“What that does is it invokes penalties from five years to life depending on whether or not this is the first time the person has been apprehended," Cohen said.

Cohen said there are other variables that go into figuring out the penalty, including any injuries or death caused by the prank. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and local police departments, said they are aware of these hoaxes and are working to find anyone responsible.

   

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