Phone hoaxster can expect no lenience from Ocean County prosecutors

Whoever placed the call that emptied the Ocean County Justice Complex in Toms River just as the day began will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

That guarantee came today from spokesman Al Della Fave at the Ocean County Prosecutor's office, who added that what might be one individual's way to squirm out of an appearance impacts untold numbers of other suspects, bystanders, judges, lawyers, and law enforcement personnel.

The phone threat forced everyone in the justice complex to alternate nearby sites in pouring rain, prompted a stem-to-stern search of the building by K-9 teams, and forced officers to redirect traffic on either side of the block-long downtown stretch of Hooper Avenue.

"God forbid someone is injured or dies in the response," Della Fave said. "This person who does this can be facing upwards of 10 years in prison."

Swatting incidents, the most recent of which surfaced Sunday in Keyport, serve as a reminder that in the age of disposable phones and masked numbers, even caller i-d has its limits. However, technology available to detectives eclipses any attempts at evasion, Della Fave said.

"That's a tremendous plus...having that capability, and a dedicated unit, trained and very knowledgeable in computer and digital forensics," Della Fave said.

Meanwhile, the alarming rise of swatting episodes is prompting action in the state legislature. Follow the link below to see what's being done.