Zachary Lee, Robert McDaid Indicted in Swatting Hoax

Baltimore, Maryland — A coordinated swatting attack that terrorized an innocent man in Howard County has landed two suspects in federal crosshairs: Zachary Lee, 25, of Catonsville, Maryland, and Robert Walker McDaid, 19, of Coventry, England. A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment on January 11, 2017, charging both with conspiracy, false information, and aggravated identity theft — crimes that stem from a chilling hoax that sent armed police storming into a private home.

The scheme unfolded over February 17 to 18, 2015, when Lee allegedly messaged McDaid through an internet telephone service, stating, “I have someone I need sw@tted.” At McDaid’s request, Lee provided the victim’s address. The British national responded, “il do it when im up.” Hours later, a call came from McDaid’s account to the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center’s Terrorism Hotline — a call in which the defendant, alongside Lee and another co-conspirator, pretended to be the victim.

Demanding $15,000 in cash delivered in a red bag, the caller claimed to have a loaded gun, plastic explosives, and three hostages. He threatened to start executions in 15 minutes if demands weren’t met. The hoax triggered an immediate tactical response from the Howard County Police Department. Officers arrived in force, breaching the residence only to find no weapons, no explosives, and no hostages. Instead, they encountered a man — the actual victim — who was shot with rubber bullets in the chest and face during the raid.

Lee’s digital footprint revealed his involvement almost instantly. Minutes after police arrived, he posted on Facebook: “Love my team.” Investigators later confirmed Lee and McDaid had conspired to impersonate the victim during the call, constituting aggravated identity theft — a charge that carries a mandatory two-year prison term, consecutive to any other sentence.

The defendants now face a maximum of five years for conspiracy, up to 20 years for the false information and hoax charge, and the mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft. Lee is scheduled for an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore at 2:15 p.m. today. McDaid remains abroad, but U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein confirmed ongoing coordination with U.K. authorities to ensure accountability.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Both Zachary Lee and Robert Walker McDaid are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in court. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren E. Perry and Zachary A. Myers, with support from the FBI, Howard County Police Department, and the State’s Attorney’s Office.