The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two teenagers, one from East Hartford, Connecticut, and the other from Syracuse, New York, in connection with two violent “swatting” incidents that terrified a Poinciana family last month.
The arrests underscore the perilous outcomes of these hoaxes, often driven by online gaming disputes.
We have identified the suspects as Cardiere Martin, 15, from East Hartford, Connecticut, and Isaiah Reyes, 14, from Syracuse, New York. Both face accusations of False Report Concerning the Violent Use of Firearms (F2) and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device (F3). Martin was booked into Polk County Jail on July 7th, followed by Reyes on July 10th.
“Swatting is a serious and dangerous crime, and often results from online gaming and arguments,” stated Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “If you do this to a resident of Polk County, Florida, we will track you down and hold you accountable. It doesn’t matter where you are, or how old you are, we are going to come after you and hold you responsible for wasting law enforcement resources and endangering people.”
The horrific incident began on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, when deputies responded to a complaint of gunshots at a home on Pilchard Drive in Poinciana. The caller fraudulently identified himself as a 12-year-old resident and claimed to live at the address. Upon arrival, deputies soon discovered that the call was a hoax, with no gunshots fired and the actual child at the residence affirming that he had made no such call.
They targeted the same address again the following night, Thursday, June 5, 2025. This time, the caller claimed something even more disturbing: he had slaughtered his family with a shotgun. Once again, law enforcement discovered the report to be bogus.
Detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office moved promptly to initiate an inquiry. They discovered that the child residing in the targeted home had been playing Fortnite online and interacting with peers via a Discord server. The “swatting” calls are thought to have been made by suspects who were dissatisfied with the victim’s gameplay.
After conducting thorough investigations, detectives traced the bogus calls back to Martin and Reyes. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office then worked with the Department of Juvenile Justice, Florida’s 10th Judicial Circuit, East Hartford Police, and the Syracuse Police Department to apprehend the two teenagers. Their transfer to Polk County for prosecution is currently proceeding.
