A California man was arrested after threatening to bomb BNA with a “swatting call”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that a Riverside, California man was arrested on an 18-count indictment. He is accused of making “swatting calls” threatening mass violence at schools and a bombing at Nashville International Airport (BNA) on behalf of ISIS.

According to the indictment, Eduardo Vicente Pelayo Rodriguez, 31, is charged with one count of stalking, seven counts of communicating threats in interstate commerce, three counts of communicating threats or false information involving fire and explosives, and seven counts of making false reports. His arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Riverside, California.

The Justice Department alleged he made “swatting calls.” These are calls that falsely report, on behalf of another person, that an emergency is underway or about to occur. Under these false pretenses, emergency services or the police rush to the person’s location to investigate.

According to the indictment, Rodriguez posed as a victim more than a dozen times between January and February 2023, calling a suicide prevention center and a veterans crisis hotline. Under this false identity, he allegedly implied that he was considering suicide or harming others before calling staff at seven different schools in California and Sandy Hook, Connecticut. On each call, he allegedly threatened either a mass shooting or a bombing. Finally, he called BNA and allegedly said he had placed a bomb on a plane at the airport, adding, “This is for ISIS” and “one hour, boom.”

“Mr. Rodriguez is accused of carrying out swatting attacks, including callously shooting an open wound at Sandy Hook, with no regard for the potential consequences of this insidious type of prank,” said Krysti Hawkins, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Perpetrators of swatting hoaxes should understand that the FBI and our partners on the ground take these threats seriously and that the penalties – if convicted – are significant.”

If convicted of these charges, Rodriguez faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for stalking, five years for each count of threatening, five years for each count of false reporting and 10 years for each count of fire and explosives.

“The nature of the ‘swatting’ crimes alleged against the defendant is highly disturbing,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “The prosecution alleges that the defendant made calls to schools, airports and other locations intended to create maximum fear and trigger a 911 call. ‘Swatting’ is a serious crime that can cause great trauma and endanger lives. It is therefore important that we hold the perpetrators accountable.”