Man gets 2 years in prison after faking armed robbery call to cover drug deal in Elyria

LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) - A man convicted in connection with a swatting incident in Elyria was sentenced Friday in Lorain County Court of Common Pleas to two years in prison.

Jeremy Oster, 33, pleaded guilty earlier this month to tampering with evidence, swatting and inducing panic.

On January 9, Oster called Elyria police at 11:30 a.m. and reported an armed man at the PNC Bank ATM on 2nd Street. Elyria police, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and Lorain County Sheriff deputies all responded, but found no threat.

Police traced the call to Oster and he was pulled over by Lorain police on Leavitt Road.

False call used as diversion

Officers believe Oster made the false emergency call as a diversion to distract patrol officers who were actively attempting to locate a wanted person at the time of the incident.

Twenty-two officers responded to what they thought would be an armed robbery.

“It endangers the community because we’re going to a scene where we believe that somebody’s going to conduct an armed bank robbery,” Elyria Police Chief James Welsh said.

Investigators said the call was a distraction. Oster was allegedly spotting for a drug deal.

“First off I want to apologize to the entire police department in this courtroom for what happened. I just want to right my wrongs and get back to being a father,” Oster said in court on Friday.

The judge denied Oster probation.

“I think another thing that is concerning about this is the reason you did it, to cover up a drug deal,” the judge said.

Welsh explained why swatting calls are a danger to the community.

“It drains our resources and it takes police officers away from people that actually need help,” Welsh said.

The Elyria Police Department said it takes incidents like this seriously, as swatting not only wastes critical public safety resources, but also puts citizens and officers at risk.