Former White Supremacist Leader Charged In Swatting Scheme

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A former leader of the white supremacist Atomwaffen Division was arrested and charged for his role in swatting calls Wednesday.

Federal prosecutors allege John Cameron Denton, 26, of Montgomery, Texas, participated in the conspiracy of swatting calls from November 2018 to at least April 2019. Denton and co-conspirators allegedly coordinated swatting calls in an online group with high-profile targets like government officials, executives and journalists. The practice of swatting involves calling in fake emergencies to send police and emergency services to a target's address.

The swatting calls identified in Virginia involved a Cabinet official living in Northern Virginia on Jan. 27, 2019; purported bomb threat called in to Old Dominion University on Nov. 29, 2018; and purported bomb threat called in to Alfred Street Baptist Church on Nov. 3, 2018.

In the swatting call at Alfred Street Baptist Church, a largely African-American church in Old Town Alexandria, the caller claimed to have placed pipe bombs in the church, mentioned the word shooting and said he was going to kill everyone at the church. Alexandria Police evacuated the building, which had been holding a church service. A sweep of the building determined the call was a false bomb threat.

Prosecutors say Denton allegedly had at least two more swatting targets: ProPublica, a nonprofit investigate journalism newsroom, in New York City and an investigative journalist for ProPublica. He allegedly was angry with ProPublica for publishing his true identity and his role in the Atomwaffen Division.

Denton unknowingly met with an undercover cop and allegedly revealed his role in the swatting scheme, including swatting calls to the offices of ProPublica and the investigative journalist. He told the undercover cop about using a voice changer when he made swatting calls.

Denton was arrested Wednesday in Montgomery, Texas and made an initial court appearance at 3 p.m. in Houston. He was charged with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, interstate threats to injure. He faces up to five years in prison.

Co-conspirator John William Kirby Kelley, 19, was previously charged in the swatting scheme.