Tag: Shane Gaskill

Tyler Barriss Officially Sentenced to 20 Years In Prison


Californian Tyler Barriss has been officially sentenced to 20 years in prison for making fraudulent 911 calls, including one that lead to the shooting death of 28 year old Wichita resident Andrew Thomas Finch.

Barriss, 26, was arrested following his admission of placing a phone call alerting authorities to a hostage situation in Wichita, Kansas. When police arrived, the ordeal ended with one officer shooting the aforementioned Andrew Finch. The call was a hoax, sent in by Barriss on the belief that the address belonged to another person. According to admissions by parties involved, Barriss was tasked with calling in the fake hostage situation by another individual who had lost a bet over Call of Duty.

The total wager that cost Mr. Finch his life; Approximately $2. Federal authorities are also pressing charges against Casey Viner and Shane Gaskill, the two individuals responsible for requesting the swat call and providing the fake address to Barriss.

In December, Barriss entered a plea deal that would see him serve at least 20 years, possibly the longest sentence imposed for “swatting.” In addition to the death of Andrew Finch, Barriss has also pleaded guilty to 51 federal charges regarding fake 911 calls and bomb threats. Barriss was also arrested several years ago after calling bomb threats to ABC Studios. Despite his earlier demeanor refusing to take responsibility for the results of his actions, the Barriss that appeared before the court was more apologetic to Finch’s family.

“If I could take it back, I would, but there is nothing I can do,” Barriss told the court. “I am so sorry for that.”

Viner and Gaskill are still awaiting trial.

Source: AP News

Tyler Barriss Convicted, Could Be Sentenced to 20+ Years


Los Angeles resident and soon-to-be long term prisoner Tyler Barriss has entered into a plea deal in federal court in Kansas and is facing a sentence of at least twenty years. Barriss previously pled guilty to his role in orchestrating a swatting incident which resulted in the death of a Wichita man at the hands of local police officers. In addition to this charge, Barriss also pled guilty to a hoax bomb threat in the District of Columbia and 46 counts of making false bomb threats against high schools, universities, shopping malls, and TV stations in more than a dozen states. Nobody was injured in those other cases.

In the Wichita case, authorities are still pressing charges against Casey Viner and Shane Gaskill, two co-defendants whose feud over Call of Duty led to Viner requesting the swatting hoax from Barriss with Gaskill providing the fake address.

Sentencing is set for January 30. Barriss is 25, meaning he will be close to if not over 50 by the time his sentence has been fully served.

(Source: Justice.gov)

Federal Charges Filed Against Tyler Barriss And Accomplices In Witchita Swatting


Last December we reported on Tyler Barriss, a 25 year old who goes by the handle “Swautistic,” who was arrested after admitting that he called in the fake 911 call that ultimately lead to the death of 28 year old Andrew Thomas Finch. Barriss was arrested to be charged with calling in the hoax, and potentially for his part in the death of Andrew Finch. Last we left off, it didn’t appear that any punitive action would be taken against the two other individuals involved in the hoax, either the person who ‘hired’ Barriss to call the police or the Call of Duty player that gave Barriss the fake address.

Well this week a federal indictment was unsealed against Tyler Barriss as well as Casey Viner, 18 of North College Hill, Ohio, and Shane Gaskill, 19 of Witchita, Kansas. Barriss’ charges include making false/hoax reports to emergency services, cyberstalking, making interstate threats, making interstate threats to harm by fire, wire fraud and conspiracy to make false/hoax reports. Viner’s charges include wire fraud, conspiracy to make false/hoax reports, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to obstruct justice while Gaskill is being charged with obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and wire fraud.

If convicted, all three defendants face severe jail time and financial damages, with Tyler Barriss facing multiple life sentences for making a hoax call to emergency services and cyberstalking both leading to the death of another.

(Source: Indictment)