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DENVER (KDVR) — After a series of swatting calls at schools across Colorado, local law enforcement discussed what could happen if the people making the calls are caught.

“It’s a serious deal. because a lot of these swatting calls have resulted in death,” said James Ponzi, retired Denver Police lieutenant.

What are the laws around swatting?

Ponzi said how the call turns out really depends on what type of trouble the caller could be in, and each call is always a risk.

“It can start as a Class 1 misdemeanor if they find out it’s not real and nothing happens,” Ponzi said.

But he said that misdemeanor could mean 120 days in jail or a $750 fine. If things have a more serious outcome because of the swatting call, the consequence is higher.

“If there was a death as a result, that ranges from four to 12 years in jail and a $750,000 fine,” Ponzi said.

Swatting callers are hard to track down

He said the tricky part is tracking down the callers. Amateur callers, he said, are easier to find, but when people know what they are doing he said it’s harder to find them and expensive.

“It’s difficult. When the user makes that call or message, it goes through a series of 10 or 15 different servers before it gets to where it’s going,” Ponzi said.

Whoever is responsible for Wednesday’s swatting calls throughout Colorado have not yet been identified.