Boy, 12, Admits to False Bomb Threats at Celeb Homes
A 12-year-old boy accused of making a prank call that led police to surround the Hollywood Hills home of actor Ashton Kutcher on Oct. 3 admitted today making a false bomb threat and committing computer intrusion.
The boy, whose name and hometown were withheld by prosecutors due to his age, was also charged with making a similar prank call that sent police to singer Justin Bieber's home in Calabasas Oct. 10.
According to the District Attorney's Office, both felony counts of making a false bomb threat and computer intrusion involving a bank, as well as a misdemeanor charge of making a false emergency report, are expected to be dismissed when the boy is sentenced.
Juvenile Court Judge Christina Hill transferred the boy's case to his local county for sentencing and restitution, but a sentencing date has yet to be set.
This type of celebrity prank calling is known as "swatting" due to the large scale responses by police and even sometimes SWAT teams. Swatting has become more of a problem in recent months, with reports by Tom Cruise, Miley Cyrus, and the Playboy Mansion.
The boy has been released to his parents pending his sentencing.
