IamA guy who went to prison for trolling/SWATing AMA!

What was the moment when you realized "Oh man, this might not be considered a prank and I may be in deeper trouble than I initially thought?"

The minute the voice on the other end of the phone claimed to be an FBI agent.

What was prison life like with people who knew you were in for threatening to shoot up a school?

I was called Osama a lot and they made a ton of jokes my way.

Follow up, do you think you're on some sort of watchlist now?

Absolutely.

Did doing stuff like that give you a high? What was your primary motivation? And how do you recommend getting across to others who still partake in harmful "pranks" and cyber bullying?

Absolutely it was a high. Coupled with being drunk. It was a different kind of euphoria having the power to make people freak out think something bad is going to happen when it really isn't.

did the realization that there are actual dangers incurred from such behavior; make you feel a sense of guilt and as though you had done something definitely wrong? do you feel regret over your decisions and not because of the impact it had on you personally?

I feel guilty for it every day. I wish I had not have been such a loser. The hardest part was encountering the people at the STAR Behavioral center who were directly affected. I tried so hard to prove that it was just a mistake.

It changed me personally because I have now eliminated negativity from my life. I am going to be more outgoing and positive and really try to make an impact on the people I know and will meet. I don't want to be a bad guy or solely know as the guy who went to prison for trolling... I want to be a guy who is know to persevere.

What was the process of being initially detained? Did the FBI just knock on your door while you were home and said you were under arrest?

Well, the FBI agent and my local sheriff did not press charges. However, the FBI agent did have to report his findings to the Ohio sheriff. Then, they pressed charges and I was arrested at work. Taken to jail and waited 27 days for extradition.

Do you still browse 4chan or have you sworn off that website since getting arrested?

I'm sure you've had a lot of time to think about what caused you to threaten that

I have sworn off the website. It hasn't even touched my address bar. It's like a PTSD thing for me now.

How exactly did they track you down?

The FBI got my IP address and my ISP gave them my billing info.

What is your biggest takeaway from this experience?

To work as hard as I can to be the great person I know I can be. My life was a wreck when I was doing all that stuff. I was overeating, drinking everyday, and I dropped out of school...

So do you think prison helped you as a person?

It's helped me because I do not want to be anything like the people there. Selling drugs, beating women, hurting kids. It's a terrible thing. I want to be the exact opposite. I want to be a clean, sober guy, an amazing husband and a family of my own someday.

Have any newfound hobbies or interests after getting out of prison?

I wish you the best by the way.

Jeopardy and Magic The Gathering.

Aside from what you were arrested for, what do you think was the worst thing you did online while trolling?

100% Other than that, it was mostly sports trolling on /sp/

What made you think that was a good idea? I’m not even being an asshole, I promise. When I was a freshman (2000) a kid in my grade made a bomb threat though some really vague communication with someone on a burner phone, they caught him quickly and we never saw him again. Even though you were states away, you weren’t nervous?? Did you know they were coming for you, or was it a surprise? Thank you, I followed you from the other thread.

It was kind of like the old 4chan cardstand threads. You know, the one where someone would post the webcam of Times Square that was positioned in front of a store with a Cardstand out front. OP would then say, HEY IM GOING TO TIP OVER THAT CARDSTAND IN 30 MINUTES! And then it never happens. It was like that. HEY I AM GOING TO SHOOT UP A SCHOOL IN FOUR HOURS, the goal is to make you wait the 4 hours to see if it actually happens.

How do you feel now coming back to the internet? I feel like i'd never use the internet again after going to prison for it.

I thought I would be banned from the internet. So much has changed. It's taking a while to get used too. Like WHY is the Facebook app 600mb on Android?

So, how do your friends and family view you? I'm sure it'll be a fun topic to bring up around the holidays..

They know I would never truly hurt anyone. But they understand I was being a drunk douche and watching me throw my life away. I am very lucky for a shot at redemption.

What was your job before you were arrested?

I was a weekend custodial guy at the University of South Florida, a position I held for almost 5 years.

What was their reaction, they fire you immediately, or did you quit?

What do you think you might do for work now?

I was fired by the president of the University.

What was the most difficult aspect about adjusting to prison life?

What did you do with your time?

The most difficult thing is adjusting to zero privacy and being treated less than human by guards and other staff.

Follow up, what has been the hardest adjustment coming out as a convicted felon?

Taking a shower without shoes on and being able to be in a quiet place.

At what point did: "wow, i'm fucked." sink in?

When the FBI agent called me.

Do you have a job now? What is it? How are you getting back on your feet?

I have several jobs lined up. Hope I will be hired back tomorrow!

What was your daily routine in prison?

Wake up about 6:30AM, go to breakfast, come back, watch the first hour of GMA. Then watch Match Game on GSN, then go outside to listen to BBC News Hour on my radio, come back in for count, lunch, Afternoon GED instructor job, count again, dinner, jeopardy, more TV then bed. Rinse, Repeat.

Why did you take away from prison?

That I never want to go BACK to prison. Being a thousand miles away from home, not being able to be with the people who love and care for you, how much you miss the simple things in life like bathroom privacy...

Speaking of loved ones, what was the reaction of all of your family? Upset, angry? Were you disowned? Did they visit you in prison? Did they welcome you back to the free world with open arms?

My family was disappointed but they have been completely supportive the entire time. Along with my friends and church. I am so lucky to have so many people care for me. It makes you appreciate the people in your life.

So what you're saying is, they weren't angry...just disappointed?

Yeah, they pulled that line. It hurt so much worse.

[deleted]

We pretrialed it all the way until the day before actual trial, then I flipped my plea and took the deal.

Did you ever feel like a criminal when you did the trolling and did you ever think it would/could backfire?

No, I just felt like your average troll. Just took it a little too far obviously.

Have you seen the troll trace South Parks?

YES! They hit home HARD.

Upthread, you mentioned the euphoria of manipulating people. There are a lot of programs and ideas being thrown about on how to discourage other people, especially young people, from doing something similar. What do you think would be most effective?

Showing the weirdness of being disconnected from the constant flow of information. Like I can't count the times I wish I could have Google'd the answer to something or have even checked simple baseball scores.

Did you get any of /sp/'s letters while in jail?

Yes I got quite a few. I was surprised at how supportive most of them were.

Where do you think you’re going after this, and how do you think it changed from what where you would be going?

I would be dead now. My drinking would have gotten to the point where I could have gone drinking and driving.

Now, even through this painful experience, I see a light. I am smarter and more driven to be an amazing, hard working person who will overcome this thing.

What was your first meal once you got out of prison?

My Family and I ordered a 120 Nugget Party platter from Chick-Fil-A in Princeton, WV. IT WAS AMAZING!!

Worst thing about prison? Best thing about it? How did your family and friends react? How do the act around you now that you're back?

Worst thing, the food. Aramark ran the food service at the prison I was at and they were probably spending $1 a day per inmate for 3 meals. Best thing, it's hard to say but probably the ability to tune out and be disconnected from the internet. I read about 20 books during my stay and watched 386 episodes of Jeopardy.

Now that you are out, what plans do you have for the next year or two of your life in terms of bettering yourself, and were you able to learn any trades or education in prison? Also, I'm from the Tampa Bay area also, have you heard about the possible serial killer in Seminole Heights?!

I'm structuring my entire life. I will be doing my 50/50/50 plan. I can not go to bed at night unless I do 50 minutes of working out, 50 minutes of learning Spanish, and 50 minutes of learning Piano. It gets me off the computer and broadening my horizons.

If you ever have any questions about piano in your learning please let me know I would be happy to help you. Best of luck :)

Thank you!

Given that you made your threats online, why are you even allowed to access the internet? Aren't there conditions to your early release?

There are. They are just general probation rules i.e don't do drugs, stay out of bars, don't leave the state, get a job, report every week.

Have you ever watched the "Fresh Out" series on youtube about prison/getting out?

It's really interesting and I'm wondering if you had similar experiences?

https://www.youtube.com/user/FreshOutSeries

Like, did you ever get your cheeks busted or have to split some wigs?

I have been notified of it and have bookmarked it for future viewing. I am still getting caught up.

Are prisons really as racially segregated as shown on TV? Where you only able to socialize with other people who shares your skin color?

No not really. The prison I was at was about 55% African American, 40% White, and 5% other races. Most guys are cool with each other. The only thing that really causes problems is calling someone a "bitch" regardless of race.

Is there any casual ways prison had changed your life? Like new interests, new skills, even new knowledge you had never even thought of perusing before?

I got so into Jeopardy. I watched and self kept my own score for 386 episodes. I am seriously going to write the producers and show them my self scoring system and let them know how much the show meant to me to help me get through the toughest time of my life.

Hey, I don’t know if you’re still reading these, but im wondering that, since you’ve said that you think you deserved your punishment, do you think you were a bad person before your arrest? Obviously prison has changed you, and served as a rehab facility like it is meant to, but personally i would have a hard time thinking of myself as a bad person whether past or present.

Thanks for doing this AMA!

I was definitely a bad person. What kind of good guy threatens to hurt little kids? Like what on EARTH was I thinking? I was alienating my friends to drive me places because I was drunk, I gave up on my responsibilities to my family and church all for the selfish purposes of drinking and internet.

What was the thought process behind the school you picked? Was it just totally random - dart at a map sort of thing?

What was your trial like? Was the prosecution focused on proving you made the threats, or trying to show how damaging the effect was, or trying to paint you as a dangerous character?

It was basically a random place I picked out. Oh, the prosecution did everything they could. The media followed my case every time I had a pretrial, there was a camera.

What does your family think of your story? It must be a real conversation starter at Thanksgiving.

It certainly is. I am so thankful for my family.

You've spoken a bit how you realized you were in actual, serious trouble when the FBI called you.

I don't want to dredge up bad memories, but can you walk us through what that actually felt like? Knowing that they were coming after you. Were you sick? Did some kind of "flight" instinct kick in where you felt like running? A lot of pacing and anxiety? Did you call your parents?

Just wondering how it went down. Good to see you're on a better path now, man.

Well, when I spoke to the FBI agent over the phone he demanded somewhere I could meet with him immediately. It was the morning after the iPhone 6 came out and I had been waiting in line all night with a friend. So I meet with him at the local Waffle House. My instinct the entire time was to try and explain that the threat was just a joke post on 4chan and that I would never hurt anyone. At the end of the meeting I was in tears but he said the FBI was not charging me but he had to report back to Ohio and it was up to them to charge me and left the meeting. Ohio issued the warrant and I was arrested in Florida the next day.

You met with the FBI without a lawyer?! Jesus.

Yeah, THAT was a huge mistake.

Where there any things you were particularly scared about that turned up not being a big deal or not as serious when you got sentenced?

And on the flip side was there anything that you thought woulden't be too bad but ended up being a lot worse.

Also, if you don't mind me asking..How old are you?

Prison Rape really isn't a big deal thanks to PREA. I thought it would be going on non-stop.

And air conditioning. Since it was Ohio, I thought the dorm not having air conditioning would be fine. Winter and Summer really proved that wrong.

What do you think is the best way to get through to the teenage/early 20s trolls in 2017?

Also, good on you for learning from the experience and having the humility to talk to others about it. All the best man

It's show them what it's like to be disconnected. I elaborated on that in another comment.

What are your future aspirations?

Get a STEM degree and start a family and advocate anti-trolling.

How has your life changed now that you're out of prison?

I have a new appreciation for my family and everyone that loves me. They were the only ones who stood by me while the 4chan side of the internet slaughtered me with memes and jokes.

Do you feel like an adult after leaving the prison?

No I feel like a shmuck who screwed his life up and has to work twice as hard to prove that I am not a bad guy.

What's it like hearing about major world news from inside prison. Events like the shooting in vegas or the attacks in paris?

I just wish the violence would stop. This one hurt the most. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/Jewish-Israeli-Suspect-JCC-Bomb-Threats-Israeli-Police-416919853.html

Did you play any D&D in prison? If so how did you do it?

There was D&D in prison. But due to yard time constraints, it was very difficult to keep a game going. You would have maybe two hours a time per recreation period.

What did it feel like when you first went inside?

How rough was the first week?

Were you terrified?

How did the other prisoners treat you? Did it change over time?

Anyways, glad you got out okay.

I was always terrified and terrified of going back. You never know what is going to happen in there and crazy things have happened. I totally understand PTSD I think.

Do you think that almost 5 years in prison is a bit harsh for some stupid online trolling, or do you think you deserved it?

I totally deserved it. They could have given me WAY more if they wanted to. I am very lucky.

What's your life plan after this?

Work as hard as I can, Love as hard as I can, Learn as much as I can, Be as positive as I can AND NEVER DRINK AGAIN.

What was worse in prison, the food or the sex?

The food. Prison sex does not happen so much due to the PREA laws. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_Rape_Elimination_Act_of_2003

This is really interesting. Can you say how PREA prevented it? I have no idea. I mean... I would think 'laws' don't really matter much when you're in prison.

Violating PREA comes with hefty, hefty, penalties. Most guys at the prison are at have less than 10 year sentences. A prison rape case will add much more than that.

Wait so you made a post on 4chan saying "ima blow up this school" or something and got arrested? Or was it more specific

It was more specific. The thread is archived someone on 4chan. I can't even bear to go read it. I also have a copy of my file. I honestly feel like breaking down if I went and read the thread or my case file because I screwed up my life so bad.

What's your favorite song?

Right now it's The XX - I Dare You

Did you line up early for Black Friday this year?

No. I am spending as much time with my family as humanly possible this year.

How do you plan on finding a job with this a part of your background check?

My employer I was hired at while on bond after I was fired from USF has promised me my old position back.

Did you get your anus plugged in prison?

PREA laws usually discourage any sexual encounters. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_Rape_Elimination_Act_of_2003

To be clear, per this:

Nobody should have to go to prison for being an idiot like I was.

you think it's the justice system that is at fault here?

Absolutely not. The justice system did me a favor. It could have given me life if it wanted to. It's a personal responsibility issue. What I mean is you shouldn't have to go to prison because doing the thing I did was lame and shouldn't even cross your mind. It's NOT worth it.

Your initial comment (or maybe the responses to it) somehow gave me the impression you were a student at the time, but after having read the news article I have to ask; were you a student of any school when you did this, or an adult man?

I had dropped out of school a few months beforehand.